Together We Are Strong
by For the love of Harry
Summary: Harry and the trio are back for their sixth year at Hogwarts where Harry discovers some certain feelings for a certain someone. Also Voldy finds new ways to kill Harry. The title comes from latter on in the story. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1: Insomnia

Hey everybody i am having trouble with my story so I had to take it off for a bit to redo it. Thanks for being patient. Oh here is my disclaimer: I do not and necer will own Harry Potter and co.they belong to the wonderful and brilliant mind of J. K. Rowling. I can however use my imagination to create weird and bizar situations for them. AndJ. K. if you are reading this please enjoy!Oh to other fiction writers if you see parts of your story in my works please do not be alarmed i was inspired by your work and decided to use it in my story. Please READ AND REVIEW!

Together we are Strong

Chapter 1: Insomnia

Harry Potter was sitting in the empty Griffindor common room staring silently at the fire, hardly noticing that it was past one o'clock in the morning. He really hadn't change much in the five years that he has been at Hogwarts, except for the fact that he had gotten taller, but he still had the messy black hair that never stayed flat no matter what he did to it. Of course he still had the lighting scar on his forehead that had made him famous. But his eyes in his opinion had changed the most. Yes, they were still that shockingly emerald green, but there was something different about them; there was a haunted, slightly fearful look with some smoldering anger buried deep in his eyes.

The stairs creaked and Harry jerked out of his meditating, turning around, with his hand gripping tightly on his wand.

"Easy Harry, it is only me," said a voice. Harry relaxed his grip as he saw Ron come down the stairs.

"Hey." whispered Harry as he turned his back to his friend to stare moodily in to the fire again. Ron silently sat down next to Harry on the couch and watched his friend since first year worriedly. Harry hadn't been sleeping well in the past weeks and it clearly showed in the circles around eyes and the tired, haggard expression on his face.

"Harry…" began Ron tentatively, knowing how touchy Harry had been, "you really need to get some sleep, mate, you aren't looking to good."

Harry just shook his head violently, and Ron briefly saw a look of pure fear come into his face before it vanished just as quickly as it came. Ron sighed, "I am sorry Harry, but I got to do this for you."

Harry turned to Ron questioningly, but Ron raised his wand and muttered, "Asomnia!" Harry slumped over and started to snore gently. Ron sighed again and laid Harry out on the couch, then with one last look disappeared back up the stairs to his dormitory.


	2. Chapter 2: The Dreams

The story will adventually get back up to date i promise! But anyways I do not own Harry Potter and co. and never will so please go on and enjoy this story that i have created for your enjoyment. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! FLAMES ARE EXCEPTED!

Chapter 2: The Dreams

"HERMOINE!" the cry ripped through the common room and up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"HERMOINE! OH MY GOD PLEASE DON'T BE DEAD! HERMOINE!" screamed Harry as he once again relived the Department of Mysteries.

Hermoine, always a light sleeper and even lighter in the past year bolted upright in her dormitory bed with the other sixth year girls. Her face paled as she heard Harry once again call out, "HERMOINE! NEVILLE GO HELP RON! OH MY GOD PLEASE DON'T BE DEAD!"

Hermoine didn't even bother throwing on her dressing gown as she tore downstairs as the other girls started to wake up, just now hearing Harry's frantic cries. Reaching the common room she ran to Harry's side and stared down at him as he tossed and turned appearing to grab something and shake it.

Hermoine seized Harry by the shoulders and began to shake him roughly.

"HARRY, HARRY, HARRY WAKE UP!" she said rather desperately as she noticed that people were starting to come down the stairs. Ron came flying down and saw Hermoine standing over Harry trying with all of her might to wake him up. He ran over to them and promptly slapped Harry hard (causing the crowd to wince) across the face.

Harry sat up so suddenly that he and Hermione bumped heads.

"Ouch! Wha… What the heck?" he said as he wiped cold sweat mingled with tears off his face. He stared up into the anxious faces of Ron and Hermione that were bending over him. He saw the looks in their eyes and moaned, "Damn! Not again!" But behind all this bravado they could tell that he was frightened and embarrassed that they had heard him cry out.

Hermione turned to the people who had crowded around the common room, "Go back to bed! There isn't anything to see here!" No one moved. "GO BACK TO BED BEFORE I JINX YOU ALL INTO NEXT YEAR!" The crowd vanished as if they had all disappeared.

Ron turned to Harry who had his face in his hands, "Harry, I think that it is time for you to go to Professor Dumbledore."

Suddenly Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix appeared with a burst of Phoenix song. But as soon as he saw Harry he disappeared again.

Harry nodded and stood up but almost immediately fell over. Hermione stooped quickly and caught him under his arms. "Ron, quick! Damn Harry you are heavy!" Ron grabbed his feet and they had started to carry him (they had completely forgot about using magic) toward the portrait hole when the hole opened and Dumbledore himself came in followed closely by Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin, and Professor Snape.


	3. Chapter 3: Breakdown

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and co. J. K. Rowling you are so lucky!

Chapter 3: Breakdown

"Harry, are you all right?" Lupin asked as Dumbledore motioned for Ron and Hermione to lower him back to the couch. Harry threw him a murderous, but weak glance. Lupin immediately mentally kicked himself. "I am sorry Harry that was a stupid question; of course you're not o.k. I guess the question is what happened?"

Ron spoke up, "I woke up at one and noticed that Harry wasn't in his bed, so worried I came down here and found him on this couch." Dumbledore nodded inviting Ron to continue, "Well I told him that he needed to get some sleep because as you know Professor that he hasn't been sleeping well since… well… you know…but he wouldn't so I put 'Asomnia' on him hoping to get him some sleep. Well, it worked and I went back upstairs."

Hermione took up the story, "I woke up around two and heard him screaming my name from when…he…put the curse on me and I fell…" Hermione shuddered but then went on, "so I came downstairs and tried to wake him up. Then Ron came downstairs and managed to get him up by slapping him across the face." She pointed to the red spot on Harry's cheek. "Then Fawkes appeared, but he disappeared basically as soon as he showed up, I guess warning you." Dumbledore nodded, "Then we told him that he needed to go see you and he tried to stand up but he couldn't so we were going to carry him to you when you showed up."

Dumbledore stood slowly and nodded, "I think," he said, "that it would be best if we moved this conversation to my office," he paused, "I think the walls are listening, Minerva, could you please go take care of them?" McGonagall nodded and swept up the stairs. "Now Harry let me see, ah this should do the trick." He waved his wand and Harry was lying on a floating stretcher.

As Lupin held open the portrait for them they heard McGonagall scream, "What on earth are all you all doing up? Back to bed all of you! And 15 points from every Gryffindor who isn't in bed and asleep in five minutes!"

Ron smiled, "It is so nice to hear her yell at someone else for a change, huh?" Harry smiled weakly, and then closed his eyes again, still weak from the dream.

Harry sighed, opening his eyes again when he felt a presence by his head. Looking up he saw Lupin. Lupin reached down and grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it hard and smiled thinly. Harry felt himself moving and realized that he was floating down the hallways of Hogwarts.

"Severus, if you could please go and fetch Madame Pompfrey I would be extremely grateful." Snape nodded and left.

Harry suddenly noticed that they were in Dumbledore's office. Ron and Hermione helped him in to a chair. Dumbledore seated himself behind his desk as Ron and Hermione took the armchairs on either side of him, Lupin took up a station behind Harry's chair.

"Now Harry," Dumbledore began quietly, "I would like you to tell me what you saw in your dream."

Harry nodded and began telling him monotonously. When he got to the part where Hermione got hit with the curse, Harry's throat tightened and he could no longer continue. Then much to Dumbledore's shock as everyone else's Harry started to sob and have a complete emotional and mental breakdown.

"I am so t-ti-tired of having these dreams! I am tired of seeing, every time I try to go to sleep, my friends get put in danger and hurt because of my stupidity!" He sobbed uncontrollably, as Lupin and the rest looked on paralyzed in shock.

"I hate this! I hate having to be the one that everything happens to! I hate the fact that I am the one that might die because of some stupid prophecy!" Hermione, Ron and Lupin gasped. "You know what I wish?" he sobbed brokenly as he looked up into Dumbledore's startled eyes, "I wish…" and he held out his arms showing the thin white scars that criss-crossed across his lower arms and wrists, "I wish that you hadn't stopped me! I wish that you hadn't arrived in time to save me! That way I wouldn't have to deal with this!" he screamed. Then burying his face back into his hands he began to sob a fresh.

Dumbledore stood, and beckoning to the others as he walked out of his office onto the stairs.

"Dumbledore, what is this about the fact that he might die?!? They shouted at him.

He raised his eyebrows, "You mean that he hadn't told you?" They shook their heads staring at him unbelievingly. "Well, as you all know that Voldemort was going after the prophecy that was destroyed that night because it told if it was indeed Harry that was to be his downfall. Also it tells that one can not die while the other one is still alive." He said quietly.

Hermione gasped, "So that means that one of them has to die before this war is over?" Dumbledore nodded sadly. He gave them a few seconds to absorb that bit of information before asking a question of his own, "Has…um…Harry ever done that," He hesitated trying to find the appropriate wording.

"You mean have a complete emotional and mental breakdown?" Hermione supplied.

"Yes, that would be what I am trying to say, so has he?" he asked watching their faces.

All of three of them shook their heads, thinking; if they had they would remember.

"Really, I am not surprised," Ron said.

"Why?" Lupin asked startled.

"I mean think about it. He has the whole weight of the wizarding world and really the muggle world to resting on his shoulders. That is a lot of strain for a 15 year old."

"Actually Ron he is 16." Said Hermione checking her watch. They looked and saw that it was indeed four hours past midnight on July 31st (the students had been held over at Hogwarts for the summer instead of going home because Dumbledore was suspicious that Voldemort might attack the train).

"Ok so a 16 year old. But still he has a lot of pressure on him just to save the world plus doing well in school and not get himself killed by the regular activities at school." Ron said smiling slightly at all the times that Harry had been in the hospital wing.

Hermione and Lupin looked fairly impressed by that speech that Ron just gave but Dumbledore looked thoughtful.

"You are right Ron. Harry does have a lot that is expected of him and what happened this summer didn't help of course." They nodded all remembering how they had gone off and nearly got themselves killed because Harry thought that Voldemort had gotten Sirius Black and was torturing him.

"Well shall we go back in and see if he has managed to get himself under control?" asked Lupin.

"Yes, in just a second Remus, I want you all to understand that this probably happened because of a lot of pent up emotions that Harry has kept inside of him. Also I believe that he thinks that he is a danger to be around you all since all the people that he has loved," for some reason he looked a Hermione when he said that, "have died. His parents died when he was one and now the closest thing that he had to a father figure has died because I didn't tell him what was going on. So be prepared that he might try to push you all away from him because he thinks that he might get you all seriously hurt or killed."

Ron smiled, "Well I think that we have lasted this long, we are doing pretty well." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Well that is fine, but you still have to convince him of that, remember, he is very hard headed." They all nodded again, smiling slightly at memories. "Now shall we go back and try to get him to see the light at the end of the tunnel?" asked Dumbledore. They nodded, and Lupin opened the door back into his office.

(Mean while in Dumbledore's office)

Harry heard them leave, but didn't care and continuing sobbing into his arms. He had drawn his knees up to him and had wrapped his arms around them and buried his face into his arms so that only his hair was showing. As he sobbed and tried desperately get his emotions back under control he thought.

_If they didn't hang around me, none of this would have happened. It's all because of me._

**_But wait, said another voice, if they hadn't been with you, you probably wouldn't have made it this far. Probably wouldn't have reached your 13th birthday._**

_Yeah but I am tired of seeing my friends hurt! What if I do something else really stupid like I did with Sirius…_even just saying that made his throat ache…_and they get permanently hurt like Neville's parents or worse killed? I am not going to have my friends killed because of something that I did._

_**But you know that they aren't going to listen to you, they will come anyway.**_

_Well then I just won't let them come and that's final!_

Harry looked up and dried his now red rimmed eyes as he made up his mind; he just couldn't be a friend to Ron and Hermione or even Lupin anymore.

The door creaked and Harry spun around as Ron, Hermione, Lupin and Dumbledore strode in. Before they could say a word Harry started to speak, "Uh… guys I am sorry for losing it like I did."

"Apology accepted Harry." Said Lupin.

"Well I just wanted to say that after you all left I did some thinking…" he gulped, this was going to be harder than he thought, "and I have come to the conclusion that I shouldn't be friends with you, Ron and Hermione any more." There he had said it, and he watched their faces closely to see what their reaction was. To his surprise they didn't seem to be too bothered by it, but they immediately started trying to persuade him other wise.

"Really Harry, do you think that this is smart? I mean we have gone through everything together do you want to ruin it now?" asked Ron trying his best to be persuasive but not getting anywhere as Harry just determinedly shook his head.

Hermione came up to him and kneeled on the floor in front of him, picked up his wrists and flipped them over, revealing the pale white scars from where Harry had tried to commit suicide, and gently traced them with her long fingers causing Harry's skin to prickle.

"Harry…" she said quietly looking down at his arms still, "remember how you said that you were sorry that Lupin and Tonks arrived quickly enough to save you?" Harry nodded dumbly, having no idea where she was taking this. "Well I am not sorry. I am glad that they had managed to save you because like Ron said we have gone through everything together. From saving the Sorcerer's Stone to breaking all the school rules in one day. I don't know why you would want to end that. I mean if me and Ron have lasted this long with you and getting dragged into everything that, that mind of yours can think up with only as few of injuries that we have, then I think that we are doing pretty well considering that we are only 16. So I just want you to know that no matter what you say, we are going to stick by you no matter what."

Hermione looked up at that and made Harry look into her chocolate brown eyes, "Oh by the way Happy Birthday Harry."

Harry felt tears once again start to course their way down his cheeks as Ron leaned forward and squeezed Harry's arm hard and Lupin grabbed his shoulders and squeezed them too. Harry looked up and met the eyes of Dumbledore, who was smiling slightly and just nodded at Harry. Harry managed a weak smile and nodded back. He glanced down and seeing Hermione and Ron next to him gripped them both in to a super tight hug, and said fiercely, "Thanks guys, I really needed that."

Ron and Hermione were smiling to see their friend back to normal.

Hermione said, "Even the best fall down sometimes Harry."


	4. Chapter 4: Thinking Back

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Company. They belong to the wonderful mind of J.K. Rowling. I can just use my imagination to create interesting situations for them. J.K. if you are reading this please enjoy!

Chapter 4: Thinking Back

Harry sat under a tree, next to the lake and stared out on to the dark blue waters. Yes, he said to himself, he had come a long way from that night, but still Hermione's words would echo through his mind with or without him wanting them to, _"I am not sorry…I am going to stick by you no matter what."_ Harry often wondered if she really did mean it or if she was just saying that to keep him from doing something really stupid.

Hermione stopped walking as she happened to glance out one of the windows on her way to where else, the library. She smiled as she spotted Harry under their favorite tree. _My he has grown up in the last few years. _She thought, _and has got especially handsome, with his untidy hair, and green eyes…_Wait! Where did this come from? I can't think that! He is one of my best friends! Besides he still likes Cho, right? No, wait he broke up with her. But I couldn't like him it would totally ruin our friendship.

Without realizing it she had drifted down the stairs and out onto the grounds. Harry looked up when he heard footsteps approaching him; it was, of course, Hermione. Harry felt his stomach do a flip-flop. _My, she is awfully good looking when she has her head like that…_Agh! Where did that come from? I can't like her she is my best friend! Besides she probably doesn't like me back.

"Hey Harry" Hermione said cheerfully as she sat down next to him under the tree and leaned her head back up against it.

"Hey" he said trying not to notice that they were extremely close together, so close that their knees were touching, and the fact that they were alone. Hermione also seemed to notice this, but for once Hermione didn't care to be careful with her emotions around Harry. _It might be the only chance you get, _she told herself, _for all you know he will get killed by a death eater tomorrow, so might as well let him know what your feelings are for him._

She leaned her head against his shoulder and breathed in his scent. It was spicy she thought, she felt Harry stiffen slightly at her touch but relaxed quickly. It feels so right, Harry thought, like we were meant to be like this.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" she asked quietly, gesturing to lake and the surroundings.

"Yep, sure is." Said Harry trying to calm his heart down, for he was sure that Hermione could hear it.

"What were you doing out here all by yourself? You know that Dumbledore doesn't like you being off by yourself." She said sternly. Harry smiled; this was his Hermione, always looking out for him no matter what.

"Oh, just thinking back on all the things that have happened to me since I have been here."

"You seem to do a lot of thinking now these days."

"Yeah, I really just need to get my thoughts and emotions under control." Including, he added silently in his head my thoughts and feelings about you.

"What do you think about? Not to be too nosy or anything, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." She said slowly, thinking that she was pushing it.

"Do you want to know the truth?" Harry asked surprised as he turned and faced her.

Hermione nodded, holding her breath.

"You." He said so quietly that she barely caught it.

"Really? I mean I am flattered…" Hermione was cut off by the fact that Harry had just pressed his lips against hers. "Mhhh, Harry" she mumbled as he kissed her, deeply and passionately, Hermione let herself go into the kiss. They broke apart gasping for air, they studied each other for a second before was again reuniting their lips. Hermione hesitated just enough and Harry snaked his tongue in and it began to dance with Hermione's. Harry's arms wound their way around her back as hers went around his neck.

They once again broke apart and Hermione sighed deeply, as Harry studied her looking for any signs of regret of what they had just done. Seeing none Harry cleared his throat and said in an official sounding voice, "Hermione Jane Granger will you be my girl friend?"

Hermione giggled and nodded, "Of course, do you think that I would have let you kiss me if I didn't?"

"Good," said Harry matter of factly, "now where were we?"

Hermione grinned, "I think we were here." She tilted her head up and kissed him again. Harry smiled to himself as the kissed deepened and grew more passionate, for once in his life everything seemed to go right.


	5. Chapter 5: Complicated Precautions

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own the wonderful world of Harry Potter and co. Please read and review I will love you for ever!

Chapter 5: Complicated Precautions

Harry and Hermione sat under their tree just enjoying each other's company. Hermione had her head resting against his shoulders and Harry had his head resting on top of hers.

"Harry, are we going to tell anyone about our relationship change?" Hermione asked, it was slightly muffled because she had her head buried into his shoulder.

"I don't know. What do you think Moine?" Harry asked.

"I think we should, so that way I won't have to worry about some other girl trying to come in a take you away from me." Hermione said teasingly.

"Hey! Do you think that I would really do that to you?" Harry asked trying to sound hurt, yet failing miserably.

"No, but… Oh my god Harry look at the time we really should get back up to the castle!" Hermione cried jumping up. She turned around and offered Harry a hand, which he took. As he stood up he drew her into a kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other. Hand and hand they walked back up to the castle.

Ron was coming down the stairs to the Great Hall looking for Harry and Hermione when he saw them walk through the front doors. He was about to call out to them when he realized that they were holding hands and that they were walking extremely close together. _So they have finally gotten together, _he thought, _about time too,_ He added with a smirk. It is so funny how two people so in love with the other can be so blind about the fact that the other is in love with them.

Ron grinned and bounded down the rest of the stairs calling out as he went, "Oy! There you two are!"

Harry glanced up and saw Ron and grinned, "Hey Ron."

Ron stopped in front of them and surveyed them for a second before saying, "I believe that there are some congratulations in order?"

Hermione blushed and nodded.

"Good it is about time too." Ron said grinning.

Dumbledore came down the stairs and spotted the objects of his thought in the Great Hall. He smiled to himself, so the images in Fawke's head were true: Two of them would come together as a couple and the other one would support and protect them to the best of his ability.

"Harry," Dumbledore called out to the group, Harry turned around surprised to see the Headmaster walking up to them, "You have done nothing wrong, at least that I know of so get that look of your face." Harry grinned, "I need for you to come up to my office for a moment if you please." Harry looked surprised but nodded anyway.

"Can Hermione and Ron come too?" He asked as Hermione snaked her hand into his, a simple gesture of wanting to be there for him in case there was bad news, as Ron got on his best arguing face ready to argue his way into Dumbledore's office to be with his friends.

"They can accompany you to my office but what I have to say is for your ears only, so if they wouldn't mind," here he turned to them smiling, "if they could wait outside for a few minutes while I talk to you."

"No we don't mind." Said Ron looking very much like he did mind, but knew he wasn't going to persuade Dumbledore when he had made up his mind.

So the four of them headed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. They approached the stone gargoyle that was the entrance to his office.

"Butterbeer." Said Dumbledore and it obediently hopped aside and revealed the spiraling staircase that led up to his office. Ron nodded to Harry and he and Hermione stationed themselves outside on either side of the gargoyle. Dumbledore and Harry proceeded up the stairs. At the top Dumbledore opened the door and Harry walked into Dumbledore's large circular office.

"Hello Fawkes." Said Harry walking up to the bird and scratching it on its head. Its eyes closed in pleasure and made an odd purring noise much like a cat, deep in his throat.

Dumbledore seated himself behind his large desk and watched Harry with a smile on his lips as he cooed to the phoenix. Harry looked up and saw that Dumbledore was seated, so he took the cue and sat down in one of the armchairs across from him.

"Am I to understand correctly that your relationship with Ms. Granger has changed?" he asked smiling slightly at the surprise on Harry's face. Harry nodded, and blushed slightly. "Well then I think that I best tell you now because it would happen again sooner or later. Harry, Voldemort has realized that you three are very strong together and would right now probably do anything to separate you all. Now with this new development he might try to use Hermione or Ron against you."

Dumbledore paused for breath and Harry broke in, "But, sir, they would never go over to the Dark side."

"No, they probably won't, but they could be used to draw you to him, like he did with you and Sirius." Harry's face shut down, masked in grief for his godfather. "What I am trying to say is that do not visibly announce that you are together, but be aware that even without Voldemort knowing this he may still try to abduct them to get to you. So be warned, don't go wandering off by yourselves without at least McGonagall knowing or my self. Do you understand?" Harry nodded, "Good then you can go join Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley for I am sure they are going to want to know what we have talked about."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell them what we were talking about? I thought that since you wanted to talk to me only that there was something that you wanted them not to know about."

"Oh no, I just like to mess with you all." He said grinning. Harry shook his head and left the office after a quick goodbye to Fakes.


	6. Chapter 6: Ouch!

Disclaimer:i do not own the fabulous world of Harry Potter but J.K. Rowling does

Chapter 6: "Ouch"

Harry walked down the stairs and the gargoyle moved aside for him.

"Harry, you're back!" Ron said, "So what did you two talk about or is it for your ears only?"

Harry smiled and shook his head as he told them what happened in Dumbledore's office.

"Well it is good to know such things, and Dumbledore is right Harry, we can't go wandering off by ourselves because, no offence or anything but you seem to attract trouble." Said Hermione, smiling to take the sting out of her words. Harry tried to look hurt at her words but couldn't help grinning, yes; he did seem to attract trouble.

"C'mon it's late and Ron and I have a big game tomorrow." Said Harry grabbing Hermione's hand and they started to meander down the hallway toward the Gryffindor common room entrance.

"Oh that's right you two have to play Slytherin." Hermione said grimacing at the house they would have to play for the first game of the season in quidditch.

"Password?" said a voice primly. They jumped they hadn't realized that they were already in front of the Fat Lady.

"Higgly-Piggly." Said Ron. The portrait swung open and they climbed through.

"Well I am going to go up to bed." Ron said yawning and he left up the boys' stairs with a grin and a wink at Harry. Hermione sank onto a loveseat in front of the fire and patting the seat beside her. Harry smiled and sat down next to her. Hermione immediately snuggled up to him, resting her head against his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arms around her and she sighed and snuggled closer.

Harry broke the silence; "Do you think that he will try?"

Hermione sat up and turned to look Harry in the face. "I don't know Harry, I really don't know." Her lips were trembling as if she was trying not to cry. Harry hushed her gently. "I am just so scared Harry, it seems that no matter what something happens every year to us. I don't think that I could go on without you or Ron, even." She said quietly smiling slightly at the last comment.

Harry was touched by this and tilted her head slightly so that she was looking at him in the face. His emerald eyes bored into her chocolate ones, "Hermione, you have to promise me something," he said so softly that Hermione barely heard it, "you have to promise me that if something happened to me that you would eventually pick up and go one with your life. You have so much to look forward to; I don't want you to waste it pinning over me ok?" Hermione had tears leaking out of her eyes, "Can you promise me that Hermione?" he said looking her dead in the eye.

_He really means this,_ she thought,_ this isn't some sick joke. He is really afraid that something might happen to him. _Hermione nodded slowly and the tears that had been threatening to overflow finally did and they coursed their way down her cheeks, leaving a glistening trail.

Harry sighed and wiped the tears gently away with his thumb. She sniffed, trying desperately to get herself back under control. Harry smiled slightly and bent his head toward hers and met their lips in a sweet, slow but passionate kiss. Hermione sighed deeply through her nose, not daring to break the embrace. Harry deepened the kiss, then hesitated, not sure if Hermione would like taking it up a notch. Hermione just grinned to herself and deepened the kiss even further. Harry felt his heart skip a beat as he felt Hermione's hands slid around his neck as his own went around her waist. After a couple of minutes the need for oxygen became too great and they had to break the kiss.

Hermione sighed deeply and leaned her head against his chest, breathing in the smell of his body and the feel of his heart beating a tattoo in his chest. She sighed again and got off the couch, turning as she offered her hand to Harry, who grinned and accepted it as she pulled him off the couch.

"C'mon lover boy," she said yawning hugely, "time for bed. You have a big game tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am" said Harry grinning as Hermione led him toward the boys' staircase. They stopped outside Harry's dorm room, "Goodnight love." Whispered Harry into her ear as he hugged and kissed her good night.

"Good night Harry." She said smiling as she watched him gently open the door and creep inside trying not to wake the other sixth year boys. She turned and went down to her own dormitory room. Still grinning she climbed into bed and almost immediately fell asleep.

It was the morning of the first quidditch game of the season Gryffindor vs. Slytherin! The Gryffindor quidditch team was already down in the Great Hall staring at their plates while Hermione tried desperately to get Harry and Ron to eat something.

"Harry you have to eat something, you won't be worth a cent if you pass out up there because you didn't eat anything." Harry glared at her and made a face but picked up his fork and started to place porridge into his mouth half heartily. The rest of the team took the hint and followed Harry's example.

A bell rang once and the team shot out of their seat, glad to be given an excuse to leave the table. Hermione sprang up with them to accompany Harry and Ron to the changing room. "Good luck Ron." She said giving him a quick peck on the cheek, Ron blushed but looked pleased. She turned to Harry who was trying to look injured at the fact that she had kissed Ron. "You be careful Harry, I don't need any more 'let's be the hero' acts ok?" she said and kissed him too. Ron snorted and Harry tried to look hurt at the fact that Hermione didn't trust his quidditch skills.

They turned into the changing rooms and pulled on their scarlet quidditch robes. Their call came and they trekked across the field toward Madame Hooch who would be refereeing this match. The Slytherins were approaching from the opposite side of the pitch in their dark green robes.

"Now I want a nice clean game all of you." Looking particularly at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle who were glaring at Harry. "Mount you brooms!" The crowd went wild as she placed her whistle into her mouth and blew hard.

Harry pushed off from the ground hard and tore up into the sky, with Malfoy hard on his heels. The rest of the game passed in a blur to Harry listening to the commentary by Ginny Weasley. Suddenly Harry saw it, the snitch! Harry took off after it and saw it hesitate, wondering why he looked around and saw Malfoy coming at it from the opposite direction. They both reached for it at the same time before they collided.

Harry felt something snap and suddenly had trouble breathing. He slipped sideways and hit the ground from thirty-foot drop with a sickening thump.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed as she watched them collide. The crowd gasped as they watched Harry fall. Hermione started to shove her way through the crowd and leaped the barrier onto the pitch. The rest of the team was landing next to Harry when Hermione reached him. She knelt next to him and frantically felt for a pulse. She hesitated, holding her breath, there! Yes, she wasn't dreaming! It was there, faint and weak but it was there.

She sighed and looked up at the team who was crowding around her. "He's alive! But he is having trouble breathing."

The crowd parted suddenly and Dumbledore strode through. "I have called Madame Pompfrey; she will be here in a few minutes. How is he doing?" he asked as he also knelt next to Harry.

"He has a pulse, but it is weak and faint, also he seems to be having trouble breathing." She said and pointed to his chest, which was rising and falling irregularly.

"Possibly broken ribs or a punctured lung." He said watching Harry closely.

"Move aside there, give me some room. Where is he?" said a fussy, bossy voice as Madame Pompfrey forced her way through the crowd. "Ah, here we go." She knelt next to him and started to examine the unconscious Harry. "Yes, broken ribs and a punctured lung by the sounds of it. Well I can fix the lung." She waved her wand and Harry's breathing immediately settled into a much more normal pattern.

Harry stirred slightly and opened his eyes, to see Madame Pompfrey, Dumbledore, and a very worried Ron and Hermione bending over him.

"Now Mr. Potter, in case you are wondering, you collided in mid air with Mr. Malfoy and broke, by the feel of it, all of your ribs and punctured a lung. I have fixed the lung problem but I can not fix your ribs because skel-a-grow only works on bone not cartilage. You will have to wear a brace for six to eight weeks and you must not do anything strenuous during the first five weeks."

"WHAT?" said the team

"You mean he can't play?" said Ron

"Yes, I do believe that Quidditch goes under strenuous activity. Now Harry I need for you to take off your shirt to put the brace on. Do you think that you could do that?"

Harry shook his head, trying very hard to take shallow breaths.

"Ron come here," said Hermione, "Sit him up and support him from behind." Ron obliged and helped Harry to sit up. Hermione unfastened his robes and went to slid them off his shoulders which bent Harry's arms backwards, which caused him to stretch his rib cadge. Harry gasped as pain shot through his chest. Hermione paused and replaced the robes back on his shoulders. She pulled out her wand and touched it to the seam of his robes around his shoulders and muttered a spell, immediately a ripping sound was heard and the sleeve suddenly detached itself from the main body of the robes. Hermione slid the sleeve off Harry's arm, then did the same thing to the other side. Next she did it to the seam that goes across the shoulders and his robes slid off him. She then repeated everything to his shirt until Harry was sitting in nothing except for his pants. Hermione stepped back so that Madame Pompfrey could see. Only then did she see that Harry's entire chest was covered in bruises. She also couldn't help but notice that Harry had a very nice chest. Very muscular and very inviting with his six pack abs she thought.

"Ouch." Said the team peering over Harry's shoulders to see what was going on.

"Thank you Ms. Granger for that. Now I can put the brace and bandages on." She waved her wand again and a brace suddenly appeared in the air. She carefully wrapped it around Harry and tightened it till Harry cried out quietly in pain. Then she conjured bandages and wrapped them around the brace so that the brace wouldn't catch on any of his clothes later on.

Harry breathed out experimentally when Madame Pompfrey stepped back from him. It still hurt but he could breathe almost normally. He smiled up at Madame Pompfrey, "Thanks." He said, Hermione smiled and Ron clapped him on the shoulders.

"It is going to take a lot more to put Harry out of action than a few broken ribs." Harry smiled at Ron and took their hands and they helped to pull him up.

Meanwhile all this was going on the crowd watched with baited breath because they couldn't see what was going on in the close circle of people that were surrounding Harry. When they saw the crowd part and Ron and Hermione pull Harry up they started to cheer wildly.

"Wait," said Harry looking around, "who won?" Ron laughed and Hermione shrugged, and then started to laugh with Ron.

"Harry, look in your hand." She said gasping for air. Harry looked and clutched tightly in his fist was the tiny snitch. Harry grinned and held his hand over his head in the traditional 'I have the snitch!' sign. The crowd once again went wild as Hermione and Ron helped Harry out of the stadium.

"Harry, I thought I told you not to do any 'lets save the day' antics? Asked Hermione exasperatedly as they helped Harry back up to the castle, which was taking a while because Harry could only take little steps. Harry laughed but then stopped abruptly as he tried to get his breath back because that hurt. Hermione just shook her head and gave him the classic 'I told you so look'.

"I am sorry Mione but I play hard. It was either get the snitch and collide or let that git Malfoy get the snitch and collide. Either way we collide it was just that I wanted to win." Said Harry as he waited for them to open the main entrance doors. They helped him toward the stairs and Harry looked up at them and groaned. It had been hard enough to walk up the slope to the castle but stairs? They were out of the question.

Suddenly a voice rang through the hall, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger! What may I ask are you three doing back in school when two of you should be in the game?" They spun around and came face to face with the deputy head mistress Professor McGonagall.

Hermione recovered form their shock first and started to explain to her, "Well you see Professor, Harry," at the mention of his name McGonagall's eyes swung toward Harry and took in the brace and bandages that covered his chest, "and Malfoy collided in the air going after the snitch and Harry fell off and then Madame Pompfrey came and said that he had a punctured lung and had broken all of his ribs. She fixed his lung but said that she couldn't fix the ribs because the skel-a-grow only worked on actual bone not cartilage and so Harry has to wear the brace and we were walking him up to his dorm because the match is over. Harry caught the snitch before Malfoy did in case you are wondering and we were just deciding how to get Harry up the stairs because it was hard enough for him to get this far." She said all of this very fast.

"Well, I guess I can't say anything. I am sorry Harry that you got hit. I think though that I can solve the problem of getting you up the stairs." She took out her wand and muttered, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry immediately felt him self rise a few inches off the floor and with some guiding by McGonagall she steered him through the halls and to the portrait of the Fat Lady. McGonagall took off the spell and left them there in front of the portrait.

"Well that was certainly easier on you Harry then if you had to climb those stairs." Said Ron as he held open the portrait and watched as Hermione helped Harry climb through. Harry didn't say anything but as soon as he got inside he fell down on to one of the couches, completely exhausted.

Ron sighed, "I am going off to get a shower and then I think a nap. See you two at dinner." He called as he disappeared up the boys' staircase.

Hermione sighed too, and sat down next to Harry. She stroked the hair out of his face revealing the lightning scar on his forehead and those piercing green eyes as he stared up at her. She smiled at him and continued stroking his face until he closed his eyes appearing to enjoy her touch on his face.

"I'm sorry Mione if I scared you." He said as he grabbed her hand and held it to his face.

"It is ok Harry. I am just so afraid that one of these days that you are going to get and injury that won't be so able to cure."

Harry opened his eyes again and Hermione felt herself fall in love with him all over again. "But I already have one." He stated quietly, "I am sick in love with you." He grinned watching her face change from being startled to fury.

"Harry James Potter! Why I ought to beat you for that," Harry pressed his lips firmly against her's to muffle out anything else that she might have said.

Harry broke the kiss when he felt Hermione give up trying to say what she had wanted to say to him. She looked down at him and said, "Again." Harry grinned and once again their lips met and Harry felt his palms start to sweat as he realized that they were alone and that nobody would be coming back to the common room for a while. Hermione also seemed to sense this and started to lower herself on top of Harry. But their romantic situation suddenly ended as Harry bolted upright, gasping in pain and clutching his chest.

Hermione sat back up and seeing Harry bent over in pain made her remember what had brought them up here in the first place.

She crawled over to him and put her arms gently around him and said in his ear, "Oh I'm sorry Harry. I totally forgot about your chest. I didn't hurt you too bad did I?" She kept pestering him and saying how sorry she was until Harry managed to silence her with another kiss.

When they broke apart Hermione snuggled up next to Harry and Harry put his arms around her laying his head against hers and they fell peacefully asleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Where is she!

Here is the next chpater everyone! My thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Thank you so much! I love you guys! Please R&R for me! Flames are welcome!

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Harry Potter and co. Sniff, tear

Chapter 7: Where is She?

The next few weeks passed in a happy blur for the trio. Even if Harry couldn't practice with the team he came to each of the practices and cheered them on with Hermione next to him. His ribs were healing nicely and Madame Pompfrey said that he could get the brace off in two more weeks. Gryffindor had a big match against Ravenclaw today and for Harry that was the weirdest feeling watching Ron and the rest of the team make their way to the changing rooms while he went up to the stands to watch.

Hermione seemed to sense how he felt because she put her arm around his waist and squeezed him slightly. Harry snapped out of his daydreaming to glance down at her. They had become very close over the pass six weeks and seemed to pick up on each other's emotions very well.

She smiled up at him and whispered, "You will be back up there by the next match. I know this is killing you to watch a game Harry, but enjoy the fact that you don't have to look out for the snitch and bludgers plus keep an eye on the game!" Harry smiled and squeezed her back as they made their way up to the Gryffindor cheering section.

The match started and everything was going well. Gryffindor was winning by 50 to 10. They were watching Ron as he weaved in front of the goals watching a Ravenclaw player pelt down the pitch toward him with the red quaffle tucked under his arm.

Harry suddenly saw two identical black orbs speeding toward Ron from opposite sides of the goals, completely out of Ron's range of vision.

"Ron! Duck!" screamed Harry. But it was too late; Ron didn't have any time to react. Both bludgers slammed into his head with sickening speed. Ron dropped from his broom like a stone. Harry and Hermione ran down on to the pitch as a teacher also leaped the barrier and ran to Ron. The teacher was Professor Lupin who had come back to teach DADA, and to keep an eye on Harry and the rest of the trio.

Lupin looked up quickly to see Harry and Hermione running toward him and grinned, "What is it with you two and quidditch injuries?" He bent down and began to examine Ron. "He needs to go to the hospital wing obviously," he said straitening up and conjuring a stretcher, "I will take him as I can get him there more quickly." Harry nodded and turned to Hermione, "C'mon Moine lets go up to the hospital wing." Except that Hermione wasn't next to him like he had thought. He looked around but still didn't see her.

"Hermione?" Harry called looking around again hoping to have just missed her. "Hermione! Hermione!" Harry was starting to panic he ran up to Lupin who was just getting the stretcher that was bearing Ron out of the stadium.

"Remus!" Harry called catching up with them. Lupin turned and saw Harry who looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"What is it Harry?"

"Have you seen Hermione? I can't find her!" Lupin understood why Harry was so upset Dumbledore had warned him about what Voldemort might try to do, plus with Harry's new relationship with Hermione.

"Go to Dumbledore see if he knows where she is." He suggested. Harry nodded and raised his wand and called his Firebolt to him, mounted and took off for the castle. Harry tore through the hallways still on his broomstick till he got to the gargoyle. He had to try several different kinds of sweets before he found the right one, which was Acid Pops. He flew up the stairs and burst into Dumbledore's office.

"Harry? What is going on?" Dumbledore asked as he looked up to see Harry pale and panting in front of him.

"Professor, have you seen Hermione? Do you know where she is? I can't find her!" Harry gasped and wheezed.

Dumbledore's face paled and Harry's worse fears were confirmed, "Oh no, oh no, oh no." Dumbledore's office door banged open once again and Lupin came charging in, "Harry did you find her?" He stopped when he saw the hope that had briefly come to Harry's eyes fade and the despair return. He turned to Dumbledore, "Do you know where he might have taken her?" Harry seized upon the question and watched as Dumbledore hesitated then nodded slowly.

Harry jumped up and shouted anxiously, "Where is it? C'mon we need to go now! He might go on and kill her! We have got to go and save her!" Harry was almost to the door when Lupin appeared in front of him, blocking his way. "Get out of the way Remus! I have got to go save her!' he shouted.

Lupin took him firmly by the shoulders and began to shake him, "Harry get control of yourself! Remember the last time you went headlong into something and what happened at the end of it? Don't you ever forget the mistake that happened with Sirius!" Harry's face went if possible even paler and he stopped trying to resist Lupin. "Now Harry, I know your feelings for Hermione are very strong but you have to stop and think." He turned to Dumbledore, "Do we need to call the Order?" he said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded and called Fawkes to him. After a few minutes of whispers Fawkes disappeared. Dumbledore turned to Harry and said, "Now Harry I am going to ask you to do the impossible right now, but try to relax, Hermione is no use to him dead." They watched as Harry paced back in forth checking his watch every few seconds.

"Harry, try to calm down," said Lupin noticing the lines on his face and the tight drawn expression around his eyes, "you have aged years in the matter of an hour."

Harry turned on him angrily, "Isn't it obvious why?" he said hoarsely before resuming his pacing.

Suddenly there was a pop and Fawkes reappeared and a second later there was another pop and the Order of the Phoenix suddenly appeared in Dumbledore's office.

Some of them looked around slightly confused while two of them strode through the crowd toward Dumbledore. It was Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks. Spotting Harry, Tonks sighed, "Oh good so we do not have to go rescue him." The crowd went quiet and everyone turned and faced Harry. Many of them seemed to be relieved to see him, Harry noticed.

"If it isn't Potter we are going to save Dumbledore," growled Mad-Eye, "Then who are we saving?" The crowd murmured ascent.

"I am sure that you all remember Hermione Granger?" the crowd nodded, "It is her who we are going to try and save. Lord Voldemort took her from the Quidditch field this morning. Harry here brought it to my attention when he noticed that Ms. Granger was no longer standing beside him, which is where she has usually been for the past six weeks." Tonks raised her eyebrows at Harry and Harry threw Dumbledore a look that could kill. Dumbledore shrugged and said, "They were bound to find out anyway Harry." Harry nodded, but it was a very stiff one.

"Now I have called you all together as back up for Harry and I." Mad-Eye snorted, "I will create a portkey that will take us to where I believe Voldemort would have taken her. Now I want you all to gather around in this formation: Harry you will be up front, Remus, you and I will be behind Harry, and then Tonks and Mad-Eye and whoever else would like to join you. The pattern will continue in that fashion until we have five rows, then it will reverse. So basically it goes like this: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1." The crowd once again nodded.

So forming up, Dumbledore passed the portkey into the middle and everyone turned so that they could get a finger on it. Dumbledore looked at his watch, "Five, four, three, two, and one!" Harry felt the familiar tug at his navel and closed his eyes.

Feeling them start to slow down and braced himself for the landing. Hitting the ground with a thump Harry immediately screamed into the darkness, "Where is she Voldemort?" He had his wand out and was preparing himself for the worse when a cold voice came out of the darkness that surrounded them, "Ah, Harry, how nice for you to join me," Voldemort said silkily as he glided out from the shadows, "Oh and I see that you have brought some of your friends to play too." Harry sneered at him.

"Just tell me where she is Tom, and no one needs to be hurt except for you."

"Tut, tut, I would think that you would have learned by now to keep that temper of yours in check Mr. Potter."

"Where is she Riddle?" Harry yelled glancing around hoping to see her in the corner.

"Now why should I tell you that, besides I don't think that you will ever see Ms. Granger alive again or if you do maybe without something that she would value highly, anyway, not after the little game that I want to play with you and some friends of mine."

Harry's face paled as he understood what Voldemort meant, he spun suddenly and saw a complete ring of Death Eaters surround their group making them look pathetically small and defenseless.

"Harry," whispered Dumbledore in his ear, "when I saw go everyone is going to shout 'Stupefy' in as many directions as they can. You are to send only one and that is straight at Riddle, then duck through the formation and go out the back there is a door there, the only one in this room." Harry nodded still looking around as if in shock at the number of Death Eaters that was surrounding them.

Harry managed a laugh and said tauntingly, "Is this all you have Tom? I would have expected better of you!" "Now!" whispered Dumbledore. Suddenly twenty-five 'Stupefies' rang out and the red beams of light shot everywhere. Harry said his, watched Voldemort block it then disappeared toward the door. Opening it quietly he slipped in and closed it softly behind him.

"Lumos." He said and the tip of his wand suddenly lighted giving him a good look at the area that he had entered. It was a corridor that had so many doors Harry quickly lost count. He crept soundlessly down the hall pausing at every door and listening hard. After about the twentieth one he heard voices behind one, what he heard made his blood boil and what he most feared for Hermione might have already happened.

"Let go of me! Leave me alone! Get your disgusting hands off me, you asshole, you son of a bitch!" Hermione screamed.

"Now just stand still for a moment sweetie, I promise I will be quick, it won't hurt at all."

Harry couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed the doorknob, twisted and shoved hard against it so that it swung open viciously and hit the wall with a bang. It did what he wanted it to do. The occupants inside it froze. Harry ran in and took the scene in, in a single glance; Hermione pinned against the opposite wall and a man hovering over her, his face just inches away from hers. Hermione had been stripped of her shirt and her body was covered in cuts and bruises.

The man looked just as startled as Hermione and before he had time to react Harry raised his wand and pointing it right at the man shouted 'stupefy'. The red jet of light hit the man squarely in the chest with such a force that it sent him reeling backwards into the far wall, where he slid down to the floor and lay motionless. Harry stood there breathing hard for a few seconds until Hermione's soft sob brought him back to his senses.

"H-h-Harry?" she asked trying to stand up.

Harry rushed over to her and pulled her up and in to a hug so fierce that Hermione gasped. "Who else love?" he whispered into her hair as he felt Hermione start to sob into his shoulder and her body shake violently. "Shh, it's ok Moine. I'm here now. I won't let anything hurt you." He cooed into hair as he felt herself just completely break down and sob hard into him. It was taking all of his strength just to hold her up. They stayed like that Harry holding her and rocking her gently while Hermione clung to him with all of her strength.

(Back at the main room)

Dumbledore watched as Harry disappeared through the door before turning around to face the unconscious Death Eaters. Mad-Eye made his way to Dumbledore, weaving in and out of the bodies that littered the floor.

"There are forty in all and no Voldemort is not among them." He said simply. Dumbledore sighed he had only hoped that with the sudden mass spells that Harry had taken Voldemort by surprise.

Lupin ran up to them, "Can we go find Harry now? He hasn't returned yet and I am worried that he might have found more Death Eaters." Dumbledore nodded and Mad-Eye, Lupin, Tonks and Dumbledore went down the corridor. Mad-Eye found them first; peering around the doorframe he smiled (a very rare sight) and motioned for the others to come see.

It was a very touching sight. Harry was holding on to Hermione with all of his might, looking very much like he would never let her go again and Hermione likewise. He was rocking her and telling her over and over that she was fine and that he would never let someone hurt her again. Hermione was sobbing that much was evident by the way her body shook and the muffled sounds that were coming from her.

"Look," said Tonks quietly so not to disrupt the two, "she is missing her shirt." Lupin started, "No silly, I mean that she has a bra on if that is what you are wondering, but I mean what do you want to bet that when Hermione refused to give him whatever he wanted, he left her back here for the sick amusement of his best Death Eaters?" Moody growled low in his throat, "Bloody bastard. Fancy doing that to a child."

Dumbledore interrupted Moody, "Remember you two, they aren't children anymore. Together they have seen more in their five years at Hogwarts than most Aurors will see in their whole lives." Moody nodded and glanced back at the two.

"Well I sure hate to do this but we need to break them up. We need to get back to Hogwarts." Said Dumbledore forgetting to be quiet.

Sure enough it did the trick, Harry's head shot up and he looked over his shoulder at them. Spotting them he smiled and turned back to Hermione.

"Hermione? Moine? Try to get a control on yourself, love; the Calvary has arrived to take us back to Hogwarts." Hermione sniffed loudly a couple of times as she tried to get a hold of herself. She wiped her red rimmed eyes and looked up at Harry and smiled. Harry smiled back and gave her a quick hug. Harry gently turned her around; Hermione paused, suddenly realizing that she didn't have a shirt on.

"Oh, my shirt! She said sounding slightly pained that all of these people had to see her like this. Harry laughed slightly and waved his wand. A shirt appeared in mid air. Hermione grabbed it and pulled it on saying as she pulled it over her head, "Thanks Harry."

Harry placed an arm around her back to support her out, but Hermione tried to take a step and immediately fell. Harry had to stoop quickly to catch her. "All right there Moine? How about if I carried you instead?" Hermione nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Harry shifted her slightly so that it was easier to carry her then strode out of the room passing Dumbledore and Mad-Eye who had gone to look at the Death Eater that Harry had knocked out.

Lupin and Tonks fell into step with him as he made his way back down the corridor.

"You all right Hermione?" asked Lupin worriedly as he watched her close her eyes.

"Of course she is alright," said Tonks grinning maliciously, "how many girls do you know you would kill to be in Hermione's spot right now? I mean she just got saved by the world famous Harry Potter and then he sweeps her off her feet!" Lupin grinned, and Harry threw Tonks such a look that made her hide behind Lupin.

"If I wasn't carrying Hermione right now I would so give you a taste of what Voldemort got in fourth year." Said Harry narrowing his eyes dangerously at Tonks. That got Tonks to shut up because there wasn't anyone who doubted Harry's threat.

"But Harry," said Hermione, her voice was slightly muffled because she was speaking into his chest, "you know that Tonks is right. Most girls that I know would kill to be in my position; I just have to make sure that never happens!"

Lupin and Tonks laughed and Harry smiled slightly trying not to show how relieved he was that she sounded back to her old self. They had made their way back into the main room and immediately the aurors crowed around Harry asking him all sorts of questions.

"Yes Hermione is fine and yes I am fine. No there were no more Death Eaters except," Harry felt Hermione stiffen slightly in his arms, ok he could respect that Hermione didn't want the others to know what the other Death Eater was going to do to her, "for the one that was left to guard Hermione."

"Everyone back off! Give Harry and Hermione some room." Shouted Dumbledore as he pushed his way through, "Don't worry, I will question Ms. Granger fully when we get _back to Hogwarts._" Everyone took the hint and started to get ready to go back to his or her homes, while Dumbledore, Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Harry and Hermione got ready to go to Hogwarts.

Dumbledore held out the portkey and everyone put a finger on it. Harry once again felt the familiar tug around his navel area and felt himself being pulled forward. Suddenly they landed and Harry had to be extra careful because of Hermione. Once he had stabilized himself he looked around; they were back in Dumbledore's office. Harry carefully set Hermione down in one of the chairs and pulled another one closer so that he could hold her hand. Dumbledore took up his seat behind his desk, Lupin behind Harry's chair and Tonks and Moody on either side of Dumbledore.

"Now Hermione," Hermione opened her eyes at the sound of Dumbledore's voice being directed at her, "can you please tell me to the best of your ability what happened from the time that you disappeared from the quidditch pitch to when Mr. Potter here so bravely rescued you." Hermione smiled at Harry and started to explain what happened to her.


	8. Chapter 8: what Happened when Hermione w...

Here is the next chapie! Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Please Read and Review! i will be eternally thankful! Flames r welcome!

Disclaimer: I never will own Harry Potter and co. Sniff, tear

Chapter 8: What Happened when Hermione was Taken

"Well when we went down to the field to see if Ron was ok or if he needed our help I thought I felt someone slip up next to me, but when I looked around no one was there so I just assumed that it was nothing like the wind or something like that. When we got to Ron, Harry bent over to see what Remus was doing. Then I felt someone behind me so I turned around to see who it was. I was struck on the head with something, I don't know what but it wasn't very big but it was heavy. Since I couldn't see the person before they attacked I believe that they were under an invisibility cloak. The blow knocked me out and when I awoke I was in this house and Voldemort was standing in front of me, just watching me as I recovered my senses." Hermione paused, drew a small, shuddering breath and continued. "He told me why he had abducted me and I told him that we had been expecting it. He seemed slightly surprised at that but he continued on like it was nothing. Then he asked me to tell him what the prophecy had said when it got smashed in the Department of Mysteries. Of course I told him that I had no idea what it said because I was unconscious in the brain room. He said that I was lying, which in part I was, because I know_ now_ what the prophecy said." Harry cringed slightly; Ron and Hermione hadn't been very forgiving about the fact that Harry hid the prophecy from them. "But of course during the Department of Mysteries I was unconscious in the brain room, so I was partly telling the truth. Anyway he said that I was lying to him and I told him that I wasn't ever going to tell him what it said even if I did know. That got him really angry and he put 'Cruciatus" on me."

Harry felt his face tighten in fury and he squeezed Hermione's hand hard. Dumbledore also had an odd look on his face and Moody looked like he might start hexing everything in sight. Tonks was clenching and unclenching her hands so tight that her knuckles were white. Lupin didn't say a word but he moved closer to Hermione and gently placed his hands on the back of her chair.

"Well Harry taught me the Dark Arts well because I was able to throw off the curse after I'd say ten seconds. That didn't help his anger at all so he did it again and I threw it off and again and I threw it off. Each time I got slower and throwing it off though. I think that he did it about ten times." Hermione's voice had gotten steadily smaller and smaller and her face was a mask of pain remembering those painful moments.

Harry stood up and turned to Dumbledore his face a mask of anger but he spoke calmly, "Professor, she needs to go to St. Mungos now. She might have brain damage or something to survive it and throw it off that many times…" Harry's voice trailed off and he turned to look in awe at Hermione realizing how much strength it took to keep battling of an Unforgivable Curse. Hermione squirmed uncomfortably in her chair not appreciating all the gazes of awe she was receiving, since it was usually Harry who got that.

"Harry we will take Hermione to St. Mungos but right now I need to hear what happened so that I can hopefully prevent this from happening ever again. Plus I think that Hermione has lasted this long she can last a bit longer." Said Dumbledore watching Hermione with slightly narrowed eyes finally seeing how much power Hermione really did have. Harry nodded and returned to his seat but he kept a close watch on her to see if he could see any signs of her weakening.

Hermione sighed and picked up her story again, "Well that made him furious that a mere girl could survive what most grown wizards could not so he called one of his Death Eaters, I think his name was…oh darn I don't remember, to take me to a room to conduct something to me so that way even if he couldn't force me to tell him what he wanted he would get the pleasure of seeing me embarrassed to the highest degree." Hermione's voice was trembling and Harry moved over to the arm of her chair and wrapped his arms around her. She blinked several times trying not to relive that horrible time in her memories but continued bravely on with her story.

"It was only when we got to this room in the back of the corridor, when he locked it behind me and started to take off his shirt did I realize what Voldemort had meant by embarrassing me." She paused and tried to get her breath back but it was no use she was starting to sob and Harry only tightened his hold around her. "He reached for me and I pulled back which caused me shirt to rip off. That only made whoever it was happier and he once again reached for me. I ran away but only got trapped against the wall. I was so tired; that I didn't have the strength to keep fighting so right when Harry came in I had basically given up and was praying that Harry would forgive me about the fact that I let someone take control over me like that." Hermione now had tears streaming down her face at the thought that if Harry had arrived even five minutes late what might have happened to her.

Harry just hugged her even tighter then pulled back and forced her to look at him straight in the eye, "Moine always remember that no matter what I will always love you, always, always from the bottom of my heart, always remember that Ron and I are always here for you." Hermione nodded Harry brought her into a super tight hug wishing with all of his heart that Hermione would never have to go through something like that again.

Hermione suddenly opened her eyes from Harry's hug and turned to Dumbledore, "Oh my god! I totally forgot! Is Ron ok? Can we go see him?" Dumbledore smiled at this but shook his head, "Madame Pompfrey had him transported to St. Mungos for treatment. He received a terrible concussion from those rouge bludgers."

Harry's eyes snapped open at that, he turned and looked at Dumbledore, "Did you just say that those bludgers were rouge? Then that means that this was all supposed to happen, Ron getting hit then Hermione kidnapped right then." Dumbledore nodded at each of the points that Harry made remembering that he had had a run in with a rouge bludger in his second year.

"Ms. Granger I believe that it is time that we took you to St. Mungos for treatment as Harry mentioned earlier." Said Dumbledore, straightening up from his desk. "Maybe when he and you are recovered you can go see him or him see you whichever works out the best." Hermione and Harry nod as Harry bent down and gently scooped Hermione back up and into his arms. Dumbledore grabbed a handful of glittery Floo Powder and tossed it into the fire and it turned a shockingly, bright green, as green as Harry's eyes. Harry stepped into the fire and yelled, "St. Mungos spell damage ward!" With a crack they were both gone. Dumbledore grabbed his own handful and tossed it in, and then with another crack he too was gone.


	9. Chapter 9:The Verdict

Hey everybody here is the next chapie! Sorry I took so long to update. Thanks to everybody that has reviewed! I love you guys! Please Read and Review! Flames are also welcome!

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Harry Potter and co. J. K. Rowling you are so freaking lucky!

Chapter 9: The Verdict

Harry landed with a thump in the sparkling white halls of St. Mungos hospital. The nurses in the area didn't even jump, as a teenage boy and girl suddenly appeared in their ward, they were to use to it. Harry checked that Hermione was ok before he strode to the nearest nurse before there was another crack behind him. Both of them jumped and Harry spun toward the noise, but relaxed immediately as Dumbledore came striding toward them. This seemed to get the nurses attention for all their heads came up and they started to talk excitedly as they finally made the connection between Harry and Dumbledore, because for once in Harry's life he hadn't been immediately recognized.

Dumbledore spoke to the nurse who Harry had been trying to get the attention of, "Excuse me Nurse Jones but could Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger please get a room for Ms. Granger to be seen _immediately_?" He intensified that last word slightly and the nurse nodded and sprang into action.

"I am sorry Mr. Potter; I didn't recognize you or Ms. Granger but please follow me this way." She led them down the hallway, snapping orders to the other nurses who were standing there gawking at Harry and Hermione.

Nurse Jones stopped and peered into a room. "Here, room 12 is free Mr. Potter. If you could please lay Ms. Granger on the bed, and I will have a doctor come see her." Dumbledore nodded to her and she cast one last look at Harry before she disappeared out the door, which Dumbledore closed behind her with a wave of his wand.

Dumbledore turned back to Harry and Hermione to see Harry gently laying her down on to the bed. As Harry began to draw away from her, Hermione made a soft noise that sounded like 'don't'. Harry smiled and set down on the edge of the bed with her and gently stroked her hand.

The sound of the door sliding open caused all of them to jump and they turned towards the door to see the doctor standing framed in the doorway. Dumbledore smiled and said, "Ah, Henry I was hoping that it would be you." He walked over to the man and shook his hand. Leading him over to the two, Harry couldn't help but notice that he looked remarkably like his guardian Remus.

"Harry this is Henry Lupin." Harry raised his eyebrows at that and looked quickly at Henry. Henry chuckled slightly and smiled at Harry, "Yes, Harry that does mean that I am Remus's father. I am thrilled to finally meet the two of you but not under these conditions certainly, but oh well, so what has happened to here to Hermione?" he asked as he pulled on some white latex examining gloves and approached the bed.

Dumbledore spoke seeing how uncomfortable Harry looked repeating that story again. "Ah well, Henry it is really quite a long story but the part that you need is that Hermione has been tortured but Lord Voldemort." Henry raised his eyes at that and looked quickly over at Hermione. "Can she…?" he started to ask but Hermione raised herself up slightly and looked at him.

"Yes I can speak, and as far as I can tell I have normal brain function." She snapped, not at all thrilled to be in the hospital right now.

Henry laughed at Hermione and she deflated a bit, surprised to see him acting that way. "I am sorry Hermione but the way you said that made me think of all the letters that Remus has sent me. You sound exactly like I imagined you."

"Oh." said Hermione stiffly.

Harry laughed and turned to Henry, grinning, "Please excuse the grouch over here, but if you want to know exactly what happened," here Harry's face lost all traces of amusement, in fact he looked ready to kill, "then here you go. To make a long story short she was captured by Lord Voldemort and was tortured using the Cruciatus Curse. He cast it on her ten times." he finished quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. He felt Hermione's hand tighten its grip on his own and he squeezed hers back.

Henry raised his eyes at that and gave a low whistle, "And you aren't dead or at least lost your mind? Hermione, you have survived what most wizards couldn't even hope to," Harry cleared his throat slightly as Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "except of course Harry or Dumbledore."

Dumbledore spoke, "What do you need to do Henry?"

Henry frowned slightly, "Really I think nothing. I mean if she has lasted this long with out signs of brain damage, no slurring of speech, no forgetting what she was saying, and no problems walking…"

"Wait! Hermione did have some trouble walking, remember? We went to leave and she collapsed, I had to carry her out." Harry said looking alarmed.

Dumbledore turned to Hermione who was watching all this in silence, "Hermione would you please show Henry your motor skills to put his and your boyfriend's mind at ease?" Harry glared at Dumbledore as Henry glanced quickly at Harry with a slight smile on his face.

Hermione blushed furiously but got out of bed stood and walked toward Harry. Her steps started out sure but after five she slowed down and was a lot more hesitant in her stride. By the time she reached Harry she was shaking. Harry gripped her into a hug to keep her standing because she all but fell into his arms. Harry looked over at Henry, worry lining his face. Suddenly Hermione started to sob; startled Harry looked down at her.

"Moine, what is wrong?"

"I hate this; I can't do anything for my self anymore. I hate needing help!" Henry visibly relaxed at this and spoke softly to her as she buried her head into Harry's chest.

"Hermione this is just the aftermath of what you have gone through. Your body didn't have time to deal with it properly when it first happened and so you went into shock. This is just your body's way of dealing with it."

Hermione looked up, tears still streaming down her cheeks, "Really? There isn't anything wrong with me?"

Harry smiled down at her and wiped away her tears with his thumb, "Nothing, other than you worrying about things that you don't need to be worrying about." Hermione went form sadness to anger faster than Harry has ever seen her.

"Oh, Harry James Potter I will so get you back for that, I don't have the energy right now but I will get you back for that." What ever else she had planned on saying was drowned out by Harry kissing her gently on the lips.

The broke apart, Harry smiling down at her, "Better?" he asked. Hermione nodded and turned to Henry, who was watching them with that slight smile on his face again.

"Oh I almost forgot, can we go see Ron Weasley? Is he feeling better?"

Henry nodded, "Yes you can, and your friend has a very tough head. He is four rooms down from yours on the right." Harry grinned and turned to Hermione, "Do you feel like walking or am I going to have to carry you every where for the next day or so?" Hermione made a face at Harry but before she could reply Henry interrupted her, "It would be best Hermione for Harry to carry you or if you want we could get you a wheelchair, so that you can give your body time to recover."

Hermione sniffed at that, and pouted slightly then looked at Harry, "Fine, carry me." Harry laughed and went to scoop her up like before, but Hermione stopped him.

"Not like that, I want a piggy back ride." Harry looked at her disbelief and saw that she was dead serious too.

"Really Hermione? I mean you seriously want me to give you a piggy back ride?" Hermione nodded smiling evilly and yet innocently up at him. Harry sighed, "Fine one piggy back ride coming up."

Harry knelt on the floor and Hermione went and stood behind him wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Ready?" he asked, "One, two, three…up!" Harry stood up and at the same instant Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist; Harry grabbed them and steadied himself. "Happy?" he asked as she shifted herself slightly so that way she could see over his shoulder.

"Yep!" she crowed happily and gave him a quick peck on the check. "Onward, my noble steed to Ronald Weasley's room!" Henry doubled over laughing at the look on Harry's face.

"Do you want a ride or not?" he asked keeping his voice steady, "Because I could dump you right now and refuse to do anything about it." Hermione shut up, startled at that fact. "That's better, now we go onward to Ron's room." With a quick grin at Dumbledore and Henry, Harry obediently trotted off towards Ron's room.


	10. Chapter 10: Together for Ever

I hope you all enjoy this one. It is short but sweet. Please R&R for me. I love to here from you guys! Flames are welcome!

Disclaimer: If I woned Harry Potter do you think that I would be writting a story about him and have only $500 dollars in my banking account?I don't think so.

Chapter 10: Together for Ever

"One, two, three," Harry counted the doors, "four, here we go." He started to shift Hermione over so that he could open the door.

"Whoa, Harry! I can get it." Hermione bent over to the side and turned the doorknob and pushed gently. The door swung open without a sound and they crept inside. Ron was asleep on the bed with a bandage around his head.

"Ouch, that looks painful." Harry observed as he sat down on the edge of the chair so that Hermione could get off his back. Hermione nodded in agreement, as Harry sighed and turned to Hermione.

"Moine I am sorry about what happened today. I should have looked after you better. What you went through shouldn't happen to anyone." Harry was searching her eyes, looking for something but not quite sure what.

"Harry none of this should have happened in the first place to begin with. Voldemort should not exist, there shouldn't have been a prophecy, your parents shouldn't have been targeted, and you shouldn't have been the one to survive. You see Harry none of this should have happened but it did. If you hadn't been strong at such a young age then you wouldn't have beat Voldemort in first year or even each year after that. So think of it this way, this was meant to happen. But think about all the good things that have happened because of it. You wouldn't have met the Weasleys, or known Sirius, or Remus, or have heard your parents when you were having trouble with the dementors. There are some good things to being the Boy-who-Lived. I will never leave you Harry if that is what you are wondering, I knew when we first became friends that there were going to be some risk involved, and that I might be put in danger, but did that stop me or Ron even? No, it didn't Harry, and we aren't going to stop now."

Harry had been silent through out her whole speech, finally he sighed and looking up at her he grinned, "Once again Moine you are right."

"I know, when have I not been right." She giggled and kissed him playfully on the mouth. The kiss abruptly went passionate. Hermione felt herself wrap her body around Harry's, as his hands went around her waist and up her shirt. Hermione opened her eyes surprised but settled down to the feel of his hands traveling up and down her skin.

Hermione suddenly broke the kiss and stared up in to his emerald eyes, "Harry, promise me that we will be together forever."

Harry nodded and hugged her tight, "Forever."


	11. Chapter 11: Back to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Harry Potter and co. There I think that says it all.

Chapter 11: Back to Hogwarts

Ron woke slowly, opening his eyes carefully; fraction by fraction, then not being able to take the suspense opened his eyes completely and abruptly. He blinked and looked around. He seemed to be in a stark white room, in bed that reminded him of the hospital wing back at Hogwarts. Suddenly it all came flooding back: the match, Harry yelling at him, then blackness.

A snore startled him and he jumped slightly causing the mattress to creak faintly. He paused making sure that the peace had been kept before looking around. He smiled at the sight that meet his eyes. Snuggled together in the only chair in the room were Harry and Hermione. Hermione was curled up in the fetal position and Harry had his arms wrapped around her with his head resting gently on her shoulder. Another soft snore issued from Harry and Ron chuckled quietly.

But not quietly enough it seemed; Harry gave a start and sat up abruptly causing Hermione to squeal slightly in protest that her warmth was being taken away. Harry looked around confused then his eyes rested on the bed, to see Ron sitting up and staring at them. He gave a soft whoop and scrambled out of the chair. Hermione shifted again, before feeling around and not feeling Harry next to her sat up alarmed, then Harry's quiet chuckle reassured her.

"I am right here Moine. Look and see who has decided to rejoin us in the world of the conscious."

Hermione looked around and spotted Ron, with a small squeal she threw herself from the chair and raced over to him and hugged him so hard that he fell over. Ron laughed as Hermione pulled herself off him and blushed slightly for her actions. Harry grinned at Ron as he picked himself off the bed and tried to straiten his pajamas.

"Hey Ron, good to see you mate."

"You too Harry and of course Hermione." He said making room on the bed for both of them to sit down.

"So what happened at that match? All I remember is you yelling at me, then blackness."

"The blackness Ron," Hermione said matter-of-factly, "were the two bludgers colliding with you thick skull."

"Oh. So have I been here all along? Did I get any really serious injuries? Have you two been here all along?"

Harry laughed at Ron's many questions. "Easy Ron, one question at a time. First question, yes you have been here for two days. Second question, yes again, you got a horrible concussion from it. Third question, no we have not been here with you for all of it and if you will please listen carefully to Moine she will tell you all about it." Harry stared pointedly at her. He wanted her to get used to telling it so that way maybe she can come to terms with what happened herself.

Ron turned his attention to Hermione, as she nodded slightly, but gripped Harry's hand for comfort. She nodded again, as if she were trying to convince herself to retell the story. Ron and Harry didn't rush her but waited for her to start when she was ready. She looked quickly at Harry before turning her eyes back to Ron and starting her story.

Ron listened quietly, but the flashes of anger that crossed his face, or the way he would clench and unclench his hands betrayed his emotions. When Hermione got to the part of where the Death Eater was going to rape her, Ron could not stay quiet any longer.

"He didn't do anything did he Moine? Please tell me he didn't!" he asked desperately, looking from Harry to Hermione. Surely, he thought, Harry wouldn't be this calm if she had gotten raped; I mean this was his girl friend we were talking about!

Both Harry and Hermione shook their heads. Harry spoke softly, "I arrived in time to prevent that, thankfully but it was close, if I had arrived even five minutes later it might be a different story that we would be telling you right now."

Ron nodded and Hermione continued on with her story. Harry had to help after that because she seemed to think back to the near possible rape again and again. When she had finished Harry told his side of the story.

When they were finished Ron breathed out heavily before speaking, "I am just glad that you two are ok. I wish I had realized what you were saying Harry. That way this might not have happened."

Harry just shook his head and sighed too, "Didn't you pay attention Ron? Those bludgers were _rouge. _The next goal that Ravenclaw would have tried to score the same thing would have happened. They were bound to hit you sometime." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Well I am glad to see that you are finally awake Mr. Weasley." They all jumped and turned toward the sound. Standing in the doorway was Henry Lupin.

"Oh Ron, this is Henry Lupin, Remus's father and head doctor for spell damage ward." Said Harry as he stood up to make room for Henry.

Henry grinned and extended his hand; Ron smiled back and shook his hand. "I am pleased to meet you Ron. Remus has sent many letters about 'the Trio'. So how are you feeling Ron? Any headaches? Seeing spots before your eyes that kind of thing?"

Ron shook his head. "Good, then we can take the bandage off. You got a few nasty cuts from those bludgers." Henry waved his wand and the bandage unraveled, with another wave it raveled it self-back up into a tight roll. "You three can go home this afternoon. I believe Remus will be by at three to pick you all up to go back to Hogwarts."

"What time is it now?" Harry asked, "My watch seems to have stopped."

"Uh, one o'clock the last time that I checked," he glanced down at his watch, "yes one o'clock. I will come back to check on you one last time when he arrives Ron, so expect to see me around three."

"Ok, thanks, see you then!" they called out to him as he went out the door.


	12. Chapter 12: Midnight Massage

Disclaimer:I hate you and yet I love you J. K. Rowling because I will never own Harry Potter and co.

Chapter 12: Midnight Massage

The climax of their year seemed to be over. Now that it was getting close to Christmas, midterms seemed to be the only things on their minds. Harry had finally found a bad side to being Hermione's boyfriend. She made him study for the tests instead of taking it easy which was what he would of like to be doing. But he made sure that he wasn't the only one that Hermione got to make their lives miserable: Ron got stuck with him too.

Hermione dragged another large book from the stack Sunday night as they were studying for Transfiguration. The boys groaned in unison as she started to quiz them in animagus facts.

"C'mon Moine," sighed Harry exasperatedly, eyeing the volume of a book, "we have been studying since seven, it is now eleven. That is four freaking hours! Do you understand me? Four hours!"

"You want to do well don't you Harry?" Hermione asked glaring at him over the top of the book. "You need good grades if you want to be an Auror when we leave, right? Then you need good grades in everything!"

Harry muttered under his breath, silently cursing her for bringing up that and trapping him so easily.

Ron yawned, stretched, and rubbed his eyes blearily. "Harry is right Moine. I don't think that I have studied this much in my entire life. There is such a thing as too much studying. All work and no play makes boyfriend and friend dull boys." he quoted.

Hermione also yawned, and then sighing closed the book to the weak cheers of Ron and Harry. "I guess we can quite for tonight. It won't do me any good if you two are falling asleep over your books."

Ron grinned and hopped off the couch where the three of them had been crammed for the last four hours. Heading toward the boys' staircase, he called over his shoulder to them, "Good, well I am of to bed. See you two in the morning." He dashed up the stairs before Hermione could change her mind.

Harry just shook his head as he watched Ron's back disappear up the stairs. Grinning he turned toward Hermione and gave her a quick kiss before he also got off the couch, stretching his back in till it cracked loudly.

"Ugh, I am stiff." He said rubbing his back, trying to relax his tight muscles.

"Come here Harry let me help." Hermione said patting the floor in front of her. Harry raised his eyebrows at her but did as he was told.

"What are you going to…?" he started to ask but then Hermione's hands descended on his back and started to massage it gently. Harry forgot what he was going to ask as he felt her hands move across his back. Working slowly, Hermione made her way across his broad shoulders and the base of his neck. Feeling the tight knots of muscle near his shoulder blades she dug her hands in deeper, and felt to some satisfaction the muscles slowly relax.

"Better?" she asked as she continued down his back. He just nodded, his eyes closed as he used all the energy that was left in him to not fall asleep. When she was done he opened his eyes slowly and looked at her mournfully.

"Done already?"

"Yes, I have been massaging you for the past twenty minutes. It is time for bed."

Harry sighed and got up, helping Hermione off the couch too.

"I will see you in the morning I guess. Then off to three straight hours of testing, oh joy." He said putting on a falsely cheerful voice, while grimacing.

Hermione laughed and standing on tiptoe kissed him playfully on the lips, "You will thank me later when you get good scores on all of your tests, Harry."

He grumbled, "Well I don't like losing my sleep over it, Moine."

"Well guess what at the end of the day, tomorrow, when you are all tired from testing guess what we will be doing?" Harry perked up thinking a nice walk or maybe some time in the room of Requirement with just her would be nice for a change.

"We will be studying for Tuesday's tests!" she said brightly

Harry groaned and stared at her through slitted eyes, just like a cat. "You are evil women, Moine. No you are a demon disguised as my best friend and girlfriend."

"I can feel the love there, Harry. C'mon it is time for lover boy to go to bed."

Still grumbling to himself Harry gave her a quick kiss before heading up the boys' staircase that Ron had disappeared up half an hour ago.


	13. Chapter 13: A Christmas Surprise

Please Read and Review for me! Flames are welcome! I will love you all forever! Also thanks to all that have reviewed for me so far!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and co. Sniff, tear, sobb

Chapter 13: A Christmas Surprise

"Midterms, I hate midterms." Ron said as he sat down with a thump on the bench in the Great Hall and started to mechanically put Shepherd's Pie into his mouth. Harry agreed silently with Ron, not having the strength to talk.

"Oh, Ron they weren't that bad!" Hermione stated sitting down on the other side of Harry.

"Just because they are a piece of cake for you doesn't mean they are a piece of cake for the rest of us." Ron replied grouchily.

Two owls swept down for the ceiling and landed on the table in front of the trio. The tiny one was Pig Ron's owl and he held a note clasped in his beak and was hooting excitedly. The other was one of the school's owls; Harry recognized it as the one that Hagrid uses to send him his birthday gifts.

Ron, with difficulty got the letter from Pig and to pacify the now hooting owl tossed him his toast. Slitting the letter carefully he pulled out the parchment. Scanning it quickly he gave a whoop that caused Hermione to jump.

"Ouch Ron that was right in my ear!" she complained. Ron appeared to not have heard her.

"Cool, Mum wants me and Ginny to come home for Christmas for a change; she says that the whole family will be there even Percy, who as she says 'has seen the errors of his ways." Ron turned and looked at Harry, "I hope you don't mind pal, but I haven't seen everyone for quite a while and…" his voice trailed off.

"No Ron I don't mind." said Harry firmly, trying to convince himself that he didn't mind having Ron leave for Christmas.

"Thanks, now I have to go find Ginny, excuse me." He hurried out of the hall looking for her.

"What does your letter say Moine?" asked Harry, suddenly remembering that she had also received a letter.

"Well in short my parents also want me to come home for the holidays." she said, looking positively distressed.

"Oh." was all Harry said the smile that had been on his face disappeared and he stared glumly down at his plate.

"Oh Harry, I am so sorry, but with all that happened last year and since I wasn't able to go home over the summer vacation they kind of miss me. Oh, Harry, don't look at me like that." Harry was giving her the puppy dog sad look that he knew Hermione had trouble resisting.

Harry sighed and gave up, "I just don't want to be alone for the holidays Moine, with Ron going home to his folks, and you going home to yours I won't have anybody to share Gryffindor tower with. You know as well as I do that we are the only ones from Gryffindor that stay over for Christmas." he looked so depressed it all but broke Hermione's heart to see him like that.

"I know Harry and I am so sorry, but there isn't anything that I could say to persuade them to let me stay here," then an odd look came over Hermione's face.

"What?" said Harry looking at her carefully. "You worry me when you look like that."

"Oh, nothing Harry. Oh look at the time I really need to get going to my Runes test see you at dinner Harry!" And she left the Great Hall with all speed.

Harry frowned as he watched her leave. Something was definitely up, considering that she had had her Runes test yesterday. Harry shook his head whatever it was he would find out soon enough, he thought. Glancing down at his watch he also started to gather his things up. He didn't need to be late to the DADA test.

Ron met Harry outside Lupin's classroom at the end of the testing period. Harry came out sore and tired but confident that he had done well. In silence they both walked down toward the Great Hall. As they passed the entrance to the Owlery Hermione came out.

"What were you doing in there?" asked Ron as she matched their stride down the passageway.

"Obviously Ron I was mailing a letter. Why else would I be in the Owlery?"

Ron shrugged and had the grace to look embarrassed.

Hermione turned to Harry, "How did your DADA test go?"

Harry shrugged, "I felt pretty good about it actually. The written stuff that usually gave me trouble I breezed through."

"See I told you that studying would help!"

Ron and Harry glared at her and grumbled under their breath.

The next day at breakfast which happened to be the last day of the semester, Hedwig swooped into the Great Hall, but instead of landing in front of Harry she landed in front of Hermione and dropped the letter on top of her eggs.

Hermione grabbed the letter as Harry raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh I hope you didn't mind that I used Hedwig to mail my letter yesterday, she was the fastest owl in there at the time."

"Oh no I don't mind it just surprised me that's all."

Hermione didn't answer, she was scanning the letter very quickly and a huge grin crept over her face.

"Hermione? Are you feeling o.k.?" asked Ron glancing up from his bacon to look at her.

"Oh yes Ron I am just fine!" she said happily, "Harry go get your stuff packed, Mum just wrote back and said that you could spend the holidays at my house!"

Harry and Ron both stared at her as if she was mad.

"Wait, stop, rewind, play and run that by me again but in English this time." Said Harry.

"Yesterday I felt bad that you would have to spend Christmas all by yourself so I wrote back to Mum and Dad to see if they would let me bring a friend home for the holidays. They said here in the letter that they would be delighted to have you over. Though how they guessed it was you I don't know, I only said 'a friend'."

Harry stared at her for a second before recovering the ability to talk. "Uh, Mione? Do they know about us? If I was a parent I wouldn't let me daughter bring her boyfriend home for the holidays."

"No they don't but don't worry they take surprises very well, and they have wanted to meet you for a long time."

"Well this will be one surprise they won't forget for a while I'm sure."

"So you will come? Oh Harry I just knew you would agree!" she cried, and Harry was rewarded with a kiss. Ron made a face at them from behind their back then smiled and went back to his breakfast.


	14. Chapter 14: Hi, I am Harry

I love this chapter! It shows that Harry really cares for Hermione and would do anything to protect her.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and co.

Chapter 14: "Hi, I am Harry."

"Oh don't worry Harry. I am sure that my parents will love you." Hermione said exasperated as Harry ran his hand through his hair for the billionth time trying to make it lay flat.

Harry sighed and gripped his hands tightly in his lap. It felt weird for all three of them to be on the train at Christmas. They had never been on the train this early in the school year.

"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in, "how could her parents not dislike the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Harry glared at Ron, "When you have a girlfriend, which I personally feel sorry for whoever that poor girl is, and you have to meet her parents for the first time and you are spending the holidays at their house we'll see how calm you are."

Hermione stifled her giggles behind her hand at the look on Ron's face. He opened his mouth to protest then closed it realizing that he didn't have anything to comeback with. He ended up just sticking his tongue out at Harry that looked so childish that Harry started to laugh. Ron glared for a second then joined Harry in laughing. Hermione stared at them as they leaned up against each other laughing their heads off.

"Huh, boys." Was her only commit as she buried her nose in a book.

Wiping tears out of their eyes slowly Ron and Harry got them selves under control. The rest of the train ride passed in happy bliss for the trio. Ron kept Harry's mind occupied by playing game after game of exploding snap, one of few wizarding games that Harry was actually good at.

Finally the train slowed down and finally stopped. Harry seized Hermione's and his luggage from the rack and heaved it out onto Platform 9 ¾. Hermione grabbed two trolleys on which Harry tossed their luggage. With his heart in his throat he wheeled the trolleys toward the magical barrier that separated Platform 9 ¾ from the rest of the station. Hermione smiled reassuringly at Harry and seized his hand and gave it a squeeze. Harry smiled at her and together they stepped through the barrier.

Hermione's POV

"Hermione! Hermione over here!" Someone was shouting her name. She looked around and spotted her mother waving and calling to her. Abandoning Harry she ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh my Hermione, it is so good to see you! How are you? Is everything ok at school? How are all of your friends?" she asked excitedly.

"Easy Mum, I will answer all of your questions on the way home. Just let me grab my luggage…oh my gosh I so totally forgot Harry!" she turned around and spotted Harry standing right where she had left him.

Harry's POV

Harry watched Hermione run into the arms of her mother. He smiled as he watched she and her mother talk a mile a minute to each other. Unbidden tears sprang to his eyes; this was how it was supposed to be. Parents to welcome him home and for him to tell them everything that had happened since they had last seen them. He knew why Hermione's parents had asked her to come home; they were afraid that they might never see her again every time they shipped her off to school.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice snapped him back from his daydream. He blinked and glanced down at her where she was tugging at his sleeve. "Harry come on my mum wants to meet you." Harry smiled down at her and pushed the trolley with their stuff toward Mrs. Granger.

"Mum," said Hermione excitedly, "this is Harry Potter, my boyfriend." Harry smiled at Mrs. Granger trying to look as happy as Hermione was.

Mrs. Granger blinked, and then smiled so warmly Harry could have sworn that it got hotter in their immediate area.

"Oh Hermione! Why didn't you tell me in your letter that your friend was your boyfriend?" She cried.

Harry stared; he had expected her to angry at Hermione because he was her boyfriend, but no she was absolutely thrilled!

"Harry, I am so glad to meet you at last! Hermione has talked so much about you at home and in her letters!" she said excitedly.

"Uh, so you aren't annoyed?" he asked.

"No, why should I be annoyed?"

"Well I thought since Moine…" Harry started to say but Mrs. Granger cut him off.

"Moine?" She looked at Hermione confused then her face lit up comprehending, "oh Moine, is that your pet name for her?"

Both Harry and Hermione blushed furiously red.

"No mum," said Hermione quickly, "Moine is my nickname, my _nickname_. Ron calls me that; it is not just a name that Harry uses."

"Oh, ok, just checking, I am sorry Harry, dear what were you saying?"

"I was wondering if you were annoyed that Hermione didn't tell you that I was her boyfriend." Said Harry as they started to walk out of the station toward the Granger's car.

"Oh no of course not Harry, Hermione will tell you that we take surprises very well. Here we go." She said reaching the car, a nice family size five person Taurus SE, burgundy in color. She popped the trunk and Harry lifted Hermione and his trunks into it.

Mrs. Granger got into the car and started it up. Hermione reached for her door handle but Harry suddenly decided to be polite and knocked her hand out of the way and opened it for her. She raised her eyebrows at him and Harry glanced meaningfully at her mum. Hermione glanced at her too then smiled at Harry in understanding and slid into the car. Shutting the door behind her, he circled around the car and opened his own door and slid in next to her. Almost immediately Mrs. Granger pelted him with questions on his life in Hogwarts, what classes he took, how well he did in said classes, who his friends were. After all of this she went into a subject area that Harry wasn't very comfortable with.

"So Harry what about your family?"

Harry froze; Hermione who was starting to yawn and snuggle up next to him also froze and glanced at him apprehensively.

"Uh, Mum, Harry isn't very comfortable talking about his family…" she started to say when Harry hushed her.

"It is ok, Moine, I have got to get used to talking about it sometime." He said, she nodded but grabbed his hand knowing how hard this was going to be for him. Slowly but with more confidence he told Mrs. Granger his sad family story, from Voldemort's attack on his parents, to his horrible aunt and uncle, then to the brief period that he got to spend with his godfather. Mrs. Granger didn't say a word through the whole entire thing but kept her eyes focused on the road. Only when he finished did she say anything.

"I am so sorry Harry. I had no idea, if I had known I wouldn't have asked."

"No it is ok Mrs. Granger, I need to get used to telling people."

"Well," broke in Hermione in a cheerful voice, "on a happier note Harry, welcome home for the next month. We are here!"

Harry glance out his window to see a medium sized two-story house part brick part light yellow paneling with brown shutters. There was a well-kept front yard with plenty of trees, the gardens in the front were bare but there fake silk poinsettias stuck into the ground. Beside him Hermione sighed happily. Glancing up at him she smiled and Harry smiled back. Still being polite he got out first and then opened Hermione's door for her. She smiled at him then went to the trunk of the car and hauled out her trunk before he could protest and carried it by herself to the front door, where she put it down and looked back at him smiling.

"Come on Potter, hurry up and get your trunk so that you can open the door like a good boy."

Harry grinned and quickly grabbed his own trunk and hurried up to the front door, which he opened for her. Carrying their trunks inside Harry looked around at the house where he would be spending the next month in. It was well kept but not overly tidy, it felt homey, something that was definitely missing from the Dursely's or even Grimwauld Place.

Harry turned to Mrs. Granger who had come in behind them. "Where is the guest room so I can put my stuff in?"

"Don't you want to sleep in Hermione's room?" she asked him. Harry started and looked at her he realized that she was dead serious too. Hermione also seemed slightly shocked that her mother had said that.

"Um, well I thought that you would feel more comfortable as a parent if I slept in the guest room."

"Oh no, go sleep in her room her dad and I trust you two completely."

Harry couldn't believe his luck and Hermione pulled him eagerly up the stairs to her room. He walked in and blinked. It was like walking into Ron's room, but instead of orange it was green, bright green and every inch of the wall space were covered in horse stuff.

"You like horses?" Harry asked innocently.

"Yep absolutely love them." She said as she placed her trunk at the foot of her queen-sized bed. "You can put your trunk over there." she said pointing to an empty spot on the floor in front of the window.

"Moine? Is your mum serious that we can sleep in the same room?" he asked tentatively. He wasn't sure if he was ready to share the same bed with Hermione.

"She must be, I was a little taken aback myself when she said that. Are you comfortable with this Harry? I don't want to do anything if you aren't comfortable with it."

"I am if you are." Was all he said blushing slightly.

"I am ok with it." She said simply

Harry got an evil grin on his face and stepped closer to her, "Then maybe we should take advantage of this time alone together before your mum calls us down for supper."

"Maybe we should." Said Hermione with just an evil grin on her face as she too stepped closer to Harry.

Harry pulled her into his arms and looked down at her with mischief in his eyes, something she hadn't seen in a long time.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Yes something."

"I say we stop at the groping, deal?"

Hermione chuckled, "Deal."

Together they kissed. It was full of hope, trust, and a promise that they would always be together, together for ever, since together was where they were strong.

"Hermione, Harry! Dinner time!" Mrs. Granger called.

Startled they broke apart. Hermione grinned up at Harry and he smiled back at her.

"Race ya?" she asked.

"Sure."

Together they barreled down the stairs into the kitchen where food a waited them.


	15. Chapter 15: Meeting Hermione's Father

I feel so sorry for Harry in this chapie! But don't worry he and Harold will eventually hit it off!

Disclaimer: I never, never, never, never, never, etc. own Harry Potter and co.

Chapter 15: Meeting Hermione's Father

"Hermione and Harry! Get your all's lazy butts down here before the food gets cold!" screamed Mrs. Granger.

"We are coming, Mum!" shouted Hermione as she and Harry came pelting down the stairs sounding very much like a herd of Hippogriffs. They both collapsed against the kitchen table, panting and laughing their heads off.

"Ha, I won," Hermione gasped.

"Yeah, only because I let you! I didn't want to get hexed for eternity, what kind of a boyfriend do you think I am?" Harry wheezed.

"I so came in on the wrong part of that conversation." Mr. Granger exclaimed. Harry and Hermione hadn't heard him come in. Both jumped and spun around guiltily to face Hermione's father and in Harry's mind his biggest threat to dating Hermione.

"Daddy!" Mione shrieked, "It is so good to see you!" She charged into his arms where he gave her a big bear hug.

"Daddy, I know you are happy to see me, but right now I can't breath." she gasped.

"Oh, sorry," he said and released her. He must have been holding her tight because when he let go Hermione staggered backwards right into Harry's arms.

"Uff, easy Mione, up you go," said Harry as he placed her back on her feet and directing her dad's attention to him.

"So, Hermione who is this?" Mr. Granger asked as he took off his winter coat revealing a stark white dentist robe and khaki pants, with tennis shoes.

"Oh Daddy, this is Harry Potter, you know my friend from Hogwarts…"

"Oh, of course the 'famous Harry Potter' how could I have forgotten, you always talked about him all summer."

Hermione blushed furiously red, as Harry turned and raised an eyebrow at her, secretly wondering how long Mione had been pinning for him.

"Yeah Dad, that Harry Potter and he is also my boyfriend."

Harry closed his eyes, waiting for the explosion, but after a few seconds it didn't come and he cautiously opened his eyes to find Mr. Granger's full six foot six height right in front of his face.

He slowly walked around Harry as if he was an item up for sale at an auction house. He stood rigidly at attention, eyes forward, chest tucked in and heels together, as Mr. Granger continued to circle him all the while making little noncommittal noises. After about five minutes of this, Hermione felt that she had to step in; she could see that Harry's rock hard nerves were starting to wear.

"Daddy, stop it. You are starting to scare Harry. I bet he is thinking this is some kind of 'Meet the Parents' come to life."

Mr. Granger stopped circling Harry, as Mrs. Granger stuck her head in from the dinning room to see where they all were. He gave Harry one last look before grunting to himself and walking off into the dinning room.

Harry followed him with his eyes until he disappeared around the corner, before relaxing and leaned against the wall for support.

"Does he always do that?" Harry asked his voice raspy with strain.

"I don't know. You are the first boyfriend that I have had. It must have been bad though, that was why I stepped in when I did. I could see that your nerves were starting to break, and that is saying something."

Harry snorted, "I am glad that I have fooled you. Do you know that all those times that I have had to face Voldemort I have been absolutely terrified out of my wits?"

Hermione smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "And you would be a fool not to be afraid, that is what makes you stronger than most, you take your fear and use it against the enemy."

"Harry, Hermione get in here unless you want your food to be stone cold!" boomed Mr. Granger. Harry flinched at the sound of his voice and Hermione chuckled.

"Come on, give him a chance, he isn't all mean and nasty, he is just going to be protective of me until he gets to know you better."

Harry sighed and nodded as he let Hermione take his hand and lead him into the dinning room.

Harry and Hermione walked into the Granger's dinning room. It wasn't large but it looked big because it was long in length. The walls were wallpapered with a yellow and blue flower design and the wall space below the chair rail was the same shade of blue. A small crystal chandelier hung over the middle of the table. Mr. Granger suitably had the head of the table with Mrs. Granger at the opposite end. Hermione raised her eyebrows at the arrangement since it was obvious that her father didn't want them to sit next to each other; so smiling at her father she went to go sit down in her usually place to the right of her dad, when suddenly Harry was there pulling her chair out for her. She just smiled at him and sat down. Harry went back around the table and sat down in the remaining seat that faced Hermione.

Harry was about to pick up his knife and fork when Hermione lightly kicked him under the table with a meaningful look at her father. Harry quickly replaced the silverware and put his hands in his lap. Mr. Granger looked at him out of the corner of his eye the bowed his head to say grace.

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful feast that you have given us and that you have brought our family all together again for the holiday season. Thank you also for bringing to our table today a guest from our daughter's school to share this holiday with us. Amen."

"Amen" everybody chorused. The food was immediately passed around and Harry remembered to say his please and thank you's.

"So Harry," Mr. Granger started on him, "you don't usually say grace?"

Harry looked up from his food and answered honestly, "No I don't. You see at my Aunt and Uncle's house we didn't say grace so I didn't get in the habit of saying it, and of course we don't say it at Hogwarts since the professors don't want to offend anyone who doesn't say grace or has a different religion. But I have no problem with it myself and if you all say grace then so will I, like I said before I just never got in the habit of saying it."

Mr. Granger nodded and seemed satisfied with his answer. Mrs. Granger turned to Hermione to get her father's attention off of Harry.

"So Hermione how is school?"

"Oh really great! My studies are still going well and I am still the top witch in my year!"

"That is great sweetie!"

An uncomfortable silence followed and Hermione realized that her parents were waiting for either Harry or herself to talk about their relationship.

"Harry how long have we been going out?" she asked bluntly.

Harry nearly choked on his food as he looked up at her, "Umm…let's see it was after the official start of school," he noticed how keenly her parents were listening to their conversation, " so that would have been in September, so…I remember the day, it was October 1st, and today is December 17th, so about three and a half months."

"That long?" Mr. Granger asked breaking the silence.

"Yeah, Dad that long." Hermione replied.

"So have you all gone out on dates?" asked her mother excitedly.

Hermione looked at Harry; she wasn't going to answer all of their questions. "Well yeah, but not like real dates just when we are allowed to go to Hogsmead and we walk around together, holding hands that sort of thing."

"Have you ever kissed her?" Mr. Granger asked innocently and Harry for the second time that night nearly choked on his food. Swallowing hastily he grabbed a quick swig of water before answering this delicate question.

A quick glance at Hermione told him that he had better tell the truth about how far they were willing to go in their relationship together.

He looked Mr. Granger dead in the eye and replied calmly, "Yes, I have." Mr. Granger took a deep breath as if he was going to set upon Harry, but Harry held up his hand, "No wait let me finish, before you give the traditional father to boyfriend talk about hurting her, let me explain. We are both comfortable with where are relationship is right at this moment. We kiss, sure, and sometimes the kisses get a little intense but we are teenagers. As far as taking the relationship up a notch, no. I believe strongly in abstinence and I know that Mione does too. We have had this talk once before and that was when we first started to go out, because I wanted to make sure that I didn't cross over a line and hurt her and she the same with me. I would never intentionally hurt her and last year when I was stupid and rushed into something, she got hurt and that about tore me apart. I don't want you to think of me as using your daughter for a quick fling, but that I truly love her and would never ever do anything to hurt her and if someone did I would have to hunt them down to the end of the Earth."

Hermione looked smugly at her dad and bent her head back to her food. Mrs. Granger beamed at Harry, thrilled with his response and looked quickly to her husband to see what he thought of Harry's speech. Mr. Granger huffed but left Harry alone after that. Halfway through dessert Hermione yawned, then Harry yawned, and then they both yawned.

Mrs. Granger smiled at them and gently ordered them to bed. Harry protested about wanting to help with the dishes, but Mrs. Granger shooed them up the stairs to bed.

Once there, Hermione went into action. She quickly grabbed her pajamas and hurried to the bathroom across the hall slamming the door shut behind her. Harry smiled and grabbed his own sleepwear: a T-shirt that said Gryffindor on the front with the quidditch symbol, then on the back Potter was written in big black letters, and some boxers that were black. Just as he had pulled his boxers on Hermione came in. She smiled at Harry and looked him over appraisingly.

Harry grinned at her, "Do I meet your approval?"

"Oh? No not mine, my parents, because knowing my dad he will check on us every ten minutes tonight and I didn't want him to see you in something, uh, embarrassing."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at her and took in her outfit, extremely short gray shorts and a red Snoopy tank top.

"Oh Harry I wanted to show you something." She said as she went over to her corner desk where her computer was sitting. Flipping the power switch she waited for the computer to boot up. When it did she went on the Internet and typed in a web ?" he inquired reading over her shoulder.

"Yeah it is a website devoted to several things, wait let me show you." The main screen had come up where it listed several things. Hermione clicked on books. "Remember that witch J. K. Rowling?" Harry nodded, "Well she published and is still working on writing down your life story for the enjoyment of muggles."

Harry's jaw dropped as he stared at Hermione. "I have all the books that she has published so far, she is up to our fifth year."

"She did? You do?" Harry stammered.

"Also there have been three movies so far based on the books, first, second, and third year. And like many things when they become popular other things come with it, for instance computer games, board games, action figures, and clothing articles. Since we aren't done with our school life yet, that is as far as she is going to write, she hasn't finished the books and have left people guessing about what is going to happen. So people create websites like where they can write down and submit story's about what they think might happen or just something that they happened to pull out of their heads."

She pointed to a link on the computer screen under books, it read Harry Potter: total pages 168,683. Harry felt his jaw unhinge in shock.

"I have the largest number of pages!" said Harry, quickly scanning the page. Hermione nodded, watching him closely.

"You can set the genre for the stories that you want to read, such as romance, comedy, action/adventure, tragedy and so on. You can pick your rating, if you want goody-goody stuff go for G and PG, for more swearing and mention to sexual activity go for PG-13, then for the really good stuff like adult themes, gore, etc go for R. Then you can select your characters, you, me, Ron, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Hagrid," she paused and looked quickly up at Harry, "James and Lily."

Harry jerked himself out of his stupor, "They write stuff about my parents?"

"Yeah, though not all of it is true of course, but there is one that I would like you to read because it was submitted by a witch that knew your parents…" she trailed off. Then clicking on Harry Potter, Genre: Romance, Rating: PG-13, Characters: James and Lily, then hit enter. A page came up and Hermione jumped to page three out of fifty and scrolled about halfway down.

There it was, James and Lily: Their Story of Love. Harry stared at it as if it was a ghost. Hermione slid out of her desk chair and Harry unknowingly sat down and clicked upon the story. As he started to read he never made a sound just kept on reading. The story was long with over 25 chapters that were huge. When he finished over two hours later, he looked up at Hermione with tears coursing their way down his face.

"Oh Harry I am so sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset." She cried.

"No, no Mione, these aren't tears of sadness, these our happy tears! Thank you so much for showing this to me Mione! This proves that my dad wasn't a huge jerk like I thought he was forcing Lily to marry him. Now I know the truth. Thank you Mione!"

She stared at him then gave a weak smile, "Come on, it is late and we need to get to bed." Harry nodded and turned back to the computer shutting everything down and finally turning it off. Hermione flicked on her bedside table lamp then turned off the overhead light. She climbed into bed, and then turned to find Harry just standing there and looking unsure of himself.

"It is alright Harry, I won't bite."

Harry gave her a weak smile before also climbing into bed next to her. She snuggled under the sheets and waited for him to do the same. When he had finally put his glasses down on the desk, she clicked off the light. Her room was plunged into darkness, blinking hard, it took Harry a couple of minutes to get is eyes refocused, trying very hard not to touch the body in the bed next to him.

Hermione sighed in frustration when she noticed this and was determined to get him to relax. So she scooted up right next to him and placed her head on his chest so that she is snuggled up in the crook of his arm. She felt him immediately tense under her, but after a few minutes of lightly rubbing her head against him he finally relaxed. He sighed and began to stroke her hair, just like he did when they were together at Hogwarts. Hermione sighed again this time in bliss as Harry continued to stroke her head.

She made herself more comfortable against him and he put his arms around her. She whispered into his neck, "I love you Harry."

He replied into her hair, "I love you too, Mione."

And together like that they fell asleep; blissfully unaware Harry was as he finally drifted off to sleep that tomorrow was going to be one hellish day for him.


	16. Chapter 16: The First Day of Christmas: ...

Hey everybody! I am so sorry that it took so long for me to update! Please don't kill me! I hope you enjoy this! It has been sitting in my brain for i don't know how many weeks so i finally sat down and typed it! Hope you enjoy! Also thanks to everyone who reviewed onec again i apologise for taking so long! Please read and review! i will love you forever!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Co. if i did do you think that i will be sitting here writting this story? My point exactly.

Chapter 16: First Day of Christmas: In the Hospital Wing!

"Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep"

Hermione rolled away from Harry the next day and hit the snooze button on her alarm. She squinted at the time and groaned, she had forgot to reset it and it had woke them up at the same time that she wakes up to catch the train for Hogwarts, which was five o'clock in the bloody morning!

Harry groaned, but not for the reason as Hermione. He was groaning because Hermione had moved away from him. "Uuugghhh." Harry groaned wrapping his arms back around her and pulling her back towards him. "It had better be a lot latter than it feels like Mione." He said as he buried his face into her bushy mane of hair.

"It isn't."

"Why do we have to wake up so bloody early?"

"We don't."

"Then why…?"

"Because I forgot to reset my alarm, silly."

"Oh."

"We can stay in bed for a couple more hours at least, and then we will have to get up."

"But that is only seven o'clock in the bloody morning! I have never gotten up this early on a break in my entire life!" Harry protested in vainly.

"Yeah, but none of those times you where staying at my house, or a guest in my bed." She grinned realizing just how wrong that sounded.

"Mione? Have we forgotten the nice talk I had with your dad about that?" said Harry teasingly.

"Maybe."

"Mione…" said Harry threateningly.

"No, I haven't Harry. Geesh, you are paranoid about my father aren't you?"

Harry stuttered, "Have you seen how big he is? He could crush me like a tin can!"

"You could kill him too, you know."

"Yeah and get kicked out of Hogwarts for using magic. Duh, that wouldn't be very smart now would it?"

"Oh my gosh! Harry Potter actually thought something out! The world is coming to an end!"

Harry grinned and then without warning tackled her to the bed, tickling her all the way.

"Agh! Harry! S-s-s-stop! No fair!" she screeched trying to bat his hands away from her.

"Whoever said life had to be fair." Said Harry pinning her to the bed by straddling her with his knees on either side of her. He leaned over and seized her arms and pinned them against her sides. They both sat there breathing hard.

"Ok, you win." She gasped up at him. She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but she hadn't realized how strong he was. Now that she thought about it, she could see the muscles on his arms, standing out as he restrained her arms. She continued trying to squirm free, but Harry held her in place with his knees.

"Damn." Was all she said when she realized that she couldn't get free.

Harry laughed, and then still without freeing her he leaned over and gave her a kiss. That kiss went abruptly passionate, and Harry lowered himself closer to her. Hermione managed to free her arms and wrapped them around his back pulling him on top of her. Neither of them heard her father coming down the hall.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" he screamed as he passed Hermione's room and peered in. The sight that met his eyes was unbelievable to him. He saw his daughter and her boyfriend kissing on the bed with the boy lying on top of her.

"GET OFF OF HER!" He screamed as he charged into the room and forcefully pulled Harry off her and threw him up against the wall.

"Daddy! Daddy, stop it! We weren't doing anything!" Hermione cried, sobbed as she looked up at her father with tears running down her face. She was scared that he really was going to kill Harry.

But her desperate cries fell on deaf ears as he continued to push Harry brutally against the wall. Harry thought about struggling then quickly dismissed that idea, he didn't want to provoke Mr. Granger any more than he already was, plus in his rage Mr. Granger was as strong as an ox. He was going to kill Harry who, in his mind, had harmed his daughter.

Mrs. Granger came running down the hall to see what Hermione was screaming about and froze, seeing her husband slamming Harry against the wall bellowing like a wounded animal and Hermione kneeling on the bed desperately trying to reason with her father.

"Harold," she cried addressing her husband, "what is going on here? Put Harry down this instant!"

"Stephanie, if you had seen what I had just seen walking into this room you would not be telling me to put this scum down." Harold replied breathing heavily and relaxing his grip on Harry for a second, before slamming him brutally back into the wall. "I trusted you! Then I turn my back for one minute and you are shagging her like there is no tomorrow. I trusted you!" He punctuated each sentence by slamming Harry into the wall.

Mrs. Granger gasped, and then logically turned to her daughter for answers. "Hermione is this true?"

"No," she sobbed, "We were having a tickle fight. And he is so much stronger than I am; he pinned me easily underneath him. And he gave me a kiss! That was all it was Daddy a kiss! You try kissing someone when they are holding you down! Of course they are going to fall on top of you! We were just kissing Daddy!"

Mrs. Granger turned to Harry who was still up against the wall, with Mr. Granger leaning his full weight on his rib cage with one hand at the boy's throat. "Is this true Harry?" Harry gulped and nodded.

"See Harold, you just came in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now put Harry down." Mr. Granger hesitated for a few seconds, and then relaxed his hold for a precious second before slamming Harry one last time into the wall.

"Harold! Put him down now!"

Mr. Granger let him go unceremoniously and Harry fell to the ground to weak to stand up. He immediately curled up into a ball on the defensive and buried his head into his knees breathing raggedly. He was scared, no that would be the understatement of the century he thought, and he was terrified! Mr. Granger looked down at him, and Harry cautiously looked up. Mr. Granger held out his hand to Harry, but he flinched away and reburied his head, looking very much like a trapped animal waiting to be shot. Mr. Granger's eye widened, he hadn't meant to scare the boy that bad.

He stared down at Harry for a second, then turned muttering, "I am sorry Harry." He brushed passed his shocked wife and headed down stairs.

Hermione scrambled off her bed and rushed to Harry, who was still curled up sobbing raggedly into his arms. Hermione started to stroke his head, running her fingers through the messy black tangle of hair.

"Oh Harry, I am so sorry. I'm sorry Harry. I never knew he would act like that. Its ok Harry he his gone now. I'll make sure that he apologizes to you. Oh Harry I am sorry."

Harry looked up and his eyes met those of Mrs. Granger, she smiled thinly at him and then too turned and headed down the stairs. When she left, Harry started to gasp and wheeze.

"Harry? Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked.

Harry started to uncurl himself, then suddenly grabbed his chest and sobbed.

"Harry? Harry is it your ribs again? Did he rebreak them?"

Harry didn't answer but continued to clutch his chest and breathe shallowly.

"Harry, lie down or at least try to. That will help you to relieve some of the pressure on your chest."

Harry slid as best as he could down the wall, and sat there still breathing shallowly. Hermione reached for his shirt and gently pulled it up revealing his well worked chest, which was once again turning purple before her eyes. She barely brushed her fingertips against his skin when he gasped and pushed her hands away quickly.

"Don't! Don't touch!"

Hermione pulled back quickly, she was scared, he really seemed to be in pain this time.

"MUM! Mum! Come quick!" she screamed.

Mrs. Granger came running up the stairs and back into Hermione's room. She gasped at Harry, seeing his chest bruised and purple.

"I think Dad has rebroke his ribs. He needs to go to the hospital immediately."

But Harry shook his head and wheezed, "Hogwarts."

"How on Earth are we going to get you to Hogwarts?"

"They will come."

Before Hermione could question who 'they' were, her dad stuck his head around the door.

"Stephanie? What is going on? I thought I heard Hermione calling for you." Then he spotted Harry and groaned inwardly, he hadn't meant to hurt the boy, just show him not to mess with his daughter.

It was amazing the effect that Mr. Granger now had on Harry. He looked up to see Mr. Granger standing in the doorway and he shouted and curled himself back up and into a ball.

"Stay away from me! Keep him away form me!"

Hermione turned to see her dad standing there and she exploded on him. "GO AWAY DAD! Just go away! If you hadn't been so stupid and overreacted Harry wouldn't be hurt right now! This is your entire fault!" He stood there shocked for a moment before he turned and left, hurt clearly written on his face. Before Hermione could take back what she had said, she heard three soft cracks right in a row and suddenly Tonks, Lupin, and Moody were standing in her bedroom.

"Harry? Hermione what in the bloody hell happened?" said Lupin as he approached Harry. Gently tapping him on the shoulder, Lupin was shocked by the reaction that he got out of Harry. Starting and flinching away from the touch Harry looked up and gave Lupin a look of pure terror, before reburying his face in his arms.

"Well, it is kind of embarrassing, but the important thing is I think Harry has rebroken his ribs."

Tonks nodded and turned to Moody, "How are we going to get him to Hogwarts?"

"Portkey would probably be the best. We had better put the full body bind on him so that way we won't hurt him when we land."

Hermione had out her wand in an instant, but it was taken away by Lupin, "Remember, and"he said playfully, "no magic outside of school." Pointing his own wand at Harry he muttered, "Petrificus Totalus!" Instantly Harry's whole body went as stiff as a board. He shouldered him between Moody and himself while Tonks quickly made a portkey out of a pen sitting on Hermione's desk.

Hermione turned to her mother, "I am so sorry Mum, but I really must go with him, just in case…"

Her mother gave her a hug, "Of course dear, we would want for you to go and be with him." She watched as Hermione's gaze drifted toward the door, "Don't worry about your father, he feels really bad that he hurt Harry, so you can expect a full apology when you return." Hermione nodded and hurried to stand next to Tonks to put her finger on the portkey. She felt the usual tug at her navel and closed her eyes.

Hermione felt herself begin to slow down and opened her eyes to see Professor Dumbledore's office come into focus, before she landed with a loud thump. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk and looked up casually as if people suddenly appearing in his office were the most normal thing in the world. His eyes widened slightly when he realized what Moody and Lupin were carrying.

"Remus, what happened to him?" he asked standing up and striding toward them. He peered at Harry through his half moon glasses.

"Well, we really aren't sure. We were just sitting in the teachers' lounge having tea when Harry did that mind to mind thing that you told us about. We got this image of him lying on the floor sobbing and we went to go rescue him and we found him like this."

Dumbledore turned to Hermione, "I believe you know what happened to him?"

She nodded, "Yeah, it happened this morning. I had forgotten to reset my alarm from when I went to Hogwarts last year and it woke us up at five. We started talking and somehow we started to tickle each other." Hermione had a grin on her face remembering.

"Well he won, and he bent over to kiss me. We started to kiss and then my dad walked in."

"Oh no, I can see where this is heading." said Tonks.

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, he went berserk. He assumed that we were having sex," at this Hermione made a face at that thought, "or something. He pulled Harry off of me and threw him into the wall. He continued to do this even though I was telling him that we were just kissing but he wouldn't listen to me. Then my mum came in and got him to stop to explain to him that it was all a misunderstanding. He let Harry go and offered him his hand, but Harry flinched away from him and curled up in a ball, I guess he was trying to protect himself.

"Well dad left and so did mum. When they did he started to wheeze and cough like he did when he broke his ribs during that quidditch match. I checked his chest and it was turning purple. I barely touched it and he told me to stop because it was painful. I told him we needed to go to the hospital and he said no that we should go to Hogwarts."

As she took and deep breathe Dumbledore gently steered them all out of his office and down the hallway toward the Hospital wing.

"I asked him how on earth were we going to get to Hogwarts and he said that 'they' would come. I guess he meant you three?" she asked turning towards Lupin, Moody and Tonks. They nodded in agreement.

"Well, then you all showed up and we were transported here, so here we are."

They had reached the door to the hospital wing. Dumbledore held it open for Moody and Lupin. Walking into the wing they laid him down on the nearest bed as Tonks shouted for Madame Pompfrey. Lupin took the spell off Harry and he started to gasp and wheeze again.

Madame Pompfrey came in then. "Potter again? What has he done this time?"

"Nothing Poppy, merely gotten on the wrong side of Ms. Granger's father."

Madame Pompfrey raised her eyebrows and bent over Harry. She prodded his chest gently and like he did with Hermione he cried out in pain and pushed her hands away from his chest.

She straightened up, "Definitely broken ribs again, but thankfully unlike last time where he broke the cartilage, this time he has actually broken the bone, which is why it seems much more painful.

But thankfully I can fix it this time without him having to wear a brace for another six weeks. Ms. Granger if you could please sit him up slightly so that he can swallow this."

Hermione set him up and Harry again cried out in pain as his ribs tried to bend. Madame Pompfrey quickly forced him to swallow the Skel-a-grow. Harry chocked and gasped and tried to spit it back up, but Madame Pompfrey forced him to keep his mouth closed. Harry reluctantly swallowed and Madame Pompfrey released his mouth and handed him a Butter Beer. Harry gratefully took it and swallowed the contents to rid his mouth of the taste of the horrible potion.

"There, you should be alright tomorrow. Ms. Granger I can set you up with a bed in here for tonight if you would like." said Madame Pompfrey.

"That would be great Madame Pompfrey, thank you."

Madame Pompfrey nodded and wished Harry and everyone good afternoon, then turned and walked into her office in the back of the infirmary.

Dumbledore turned to Tonks, Remus, and Moody, "If you could please give us a few minutes alone? I need to talk to them privately." They nodded and wished Harry and Hermione good day before walking out of the infirmary.

Dumbledore turned and watched quietly as Hermione sat down on the side of Harry's bed and gently stroke his hand.

"Hermione?" Dumbledore asked, breaking the silence.

Hermione started and looked up, "Yes, Professor?"

"Are you sure that you and Harry weren't planning on doing anything else before your father walked in?"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS PROFESSOR?" Hermione shouted, but she wasn't the only one, Harry's eyes had snapped open, and both of them were staring at Dumbledore with shock written on both of their faces.

"Yes I am."

Harry groaned, "Why are you all thinking that I am some hormonal teenager, and am going to have sex with her the second everyone leaves the room?"

Dumbledore held up his hands, "I am not accusing you of that Harry and you know it. But it just that things even when you don't mean to can get out of hand, and have you forgotten you mental link with Voldemort? Any really strong emotions like that could cause him to realize that you two like each other more than the whole casual boyfriend and girlfriend thing."

Harry and Hermione's jaw dropped. They both had completely forgotten about Harry's connection with Voldemort. Harry slapped himself in the head at his stupidity, then winced because his head hurt.

Dumbledore nodded grimly, "I need you both to promise me that you will keep your hormones firmly in place until this war is over, understood?"

Both Harry and Hermione nodded.

"Good, well then, I guess I will wish you all good afternoon. I trust you will be returning to your house, Ms. Granger, if Madame Pompfrey deems Harry fit to leave in the morning?"

"Yes, and don't worry Professor, Harry will get a full blown out apology from my father when we get home." Hermione stated grimly.

Dumbledore gave her and Harry a small smile, then turned and walked noiselessly out of the hospital wing.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes again, trying not to notice the thousands of pinpricks that he was feeling across his chest as the bones knitted themselves back together.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events." Hermione said trying to stay positive about the whole situation.

"Yeah great." Harry muttered.

"Oh, Harry, I am so sorry. Trust me when we get home I will have him worshipping the very ground you walk upon."

Harry smiled, and reopened his eyes. Hermione gave him a lopsided grin then bent down and kissed him.

"Mmm," Harry groaned when the kiss ended, "So what do you want to do while I wait for my bones to heal?"

"I suggest that we do this." And with that Hermione bent back down and kissed him.

"Sounds great to me," Harry murmured and kissed her back deeply.

Harry couldn't help think though, as they lay together latter that night, that maybe that this was a bad omen that his first 24 hours of Christmas break was spent in the hospital wing.


	17. Chapter 17: The Second Day of Christmas ...

Chapter 17: The Second Day of Christmas-Shopping!

Harry woke up quickly. Five years of living in constant danger had given him very good reflexes. The small sound of soft footsteps, treading almost completely silently on the tile floor, made Harry's eyes snap open and his brain instantly started to work. Was this friend or foe? If foe, where is my wand? If friend, who is it?

"Harry?" the voice was soft and trying to be quite but Harry recognized it instantly.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked just as quietly.

"Yes it is me," Dumbledore said as he drew closer to the bed.

"What do you need Professor?" asked Harry.

"Nothing I was just coming to wake you up. It is almost 8 o'clock."

"Oh thanks."

Dumbledore drew even closer to the bed, and realized why Harry was not sitting up to look at him. Hermione lay, snuggled up against him, with her head on his chest. Dumbledore smiled, and Harry frowned, wondering what had caused him to smile when Hermione stirred against him and Harry also grinned.

He reached a hand out from under the covers of the bed and gently shook her.

"Wh-wha-what is it Harry?" she yawned.

"We have to get up Mione. Professor Dumbledore is here to get us up."

"O.K."

Hermione groaned, sat up and stretched.

"How are we getting home, Professor?" asked Hermione.

"You are going to ride the Knight Bus from Hogsmead to your parent's house."

Harry made a face, and Hermione punched him playfully on the arm. Dumbledore just smiled slightly, "There is food down in the Great Hall when you two are ready, and Professor Magonagal will walk you to Hogsmead at nine."

They both nodded in understanding and the Headmaster turned and walked out just as silently as he had walked in. Hermione turned and gave Harry a good morning kiss.

"How are your ribs?" she asked, still kissing him.

"A bit stiff but fine." Harry paused, "Hermione?"

"Hmm?" Hermione was still kissing him.

"Do I have (kiss) to go back (kiss) to your (kiss, kiss) parents house? (Kiss, kiss, kiss)"

Hermione sat back from him and grinned slightly, "Unfortunately you do. Don't worry about it though. I am positive that he will absolutely worship the ground you walk on after this, just relax and enjoy what time we have without parental supervision."

"I think I can agree to that."

"Good now kiss me again."

Harry, let's say was very enthusiastic about fulfilling that last command.

"I hate the Knight Bus." Hermione grumbled, looking slightly pale as she stepped off the purple bus with Harry as Stan waved cheerfully in the doorway, before the bus door closed and it disappeared with a bang. Harry nodded in agreement as they walked up to the front door of Hermione's house. Hermione banged on the door, which caused harry to raise his eyebrows and shake his head.

"What," Hermione asked, indignant, "It is cold out here."

The door opened and Harry froze, Mr. Granger was standing in the doorway. They both looked at each other, and then Mr. Granger did something that took both Harry and Hermione by surprise. He rushed forward and grabbed Harry in a huge bear hug, the whole time apologizing profusely for hurting him, and how he had overreacted and how he should have trusted him more, etc. Hermione had to step in and pry her father off of Harry, to keep him from suffocating her boyfriend. Harry grinned and accepted Mr. Granger's apology.

"You two need to go Christmas shopping," shouted Mrs. Granger from the kitchen where she was cleaning the kitchen.

"Yeah we do," said Hermione with a pained expression, "I still have to get gifts for Lavender, Pavarti, Luna, Ginny, Ron, Mom, Dad, etc."

"Well we can drop you off at Diagon Alley tomorrow if you want to get wizarding gifts for your friends," said Mr. Granger, "How about at ten, then we can come by and pick you up at say four. That should give you all enough time to get everything you need."

Harry gaped at Mr. Granger; they were willing to leave him alone with Hermione for six hours! And this being from the man who had originally not wanted him to leave his sight for fear that Harry's raging hormones would come into play.

"Is that ok with you Harry?" said Mr. Granger smiling at the look on his face.

Harry blinked then managed to stutter, "Yeah that is just fine."

The next morning true to their word the Grangers dropped Harry and Hermione off at the Leaky Cauldron at ten o'clock with a cell phone, money for lunch and their own personal spending money for gifts.

"Whom do you want to get done first?" asked Harry as they strode casually down the street gazing at all the people bargaining for items.

"Well who is the easiest to shop for?" asked Hermione.

They both looked at each other and grinned, "Ron," they said in unison and they turned and walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ten minutes later they walked out with a complete history on the Chudley Cannons from Hermione and a real miniature model of the Firebolt from Harry. Next they went to a sweet shop and got sugar quills, fudge, chocolate, Bertie Bott's, Ice Mice, and other assorted sweets for the rest of their friends. They were passing a jewelry store when Hermione spotted something in the window, which caught her eye. It was a necklace with a pendent that was shaped like a phoenix, which happened to be Ginny's favorite magical creature.

"Oh Harry, look at that! Ginny would absolutely die!" Hermione immediately turned into the store and Harry groaned and followed her inside. Hermione was already browsing the counters while a sales lady helped her so Harry decided to look around as well hoping that something will spark his imagination about what to get Hermione.

He wanted to get her something special, not a book, or perfume, besides she didn't like to wear any, but something really special. His eye fell on a display of rings. He was about to move on then did a double take. There in the corner of the shelf, halfway hidden in shadow was the most beautiful ring that Harry had ever seen. It was gold, with three stones, the side stones being diamonds, and the center stone was the prize though, it was an emerald done in a fire cut and what little light was shinning on it caused it to sparkle like the green flames of St. Elno's. **(A.N.-Don't ask I just made it up)**

Harry glanced around and saw that Hermione was till bent over the displays while the sales lady was pointing something out. Another sales lady came over to Harry and asked if he needed help with something.

"Actually," Harry grinned, "I do. That is my girlfriend over there and I want to get her this ring." He pointed out the one he wanted the sales lady dived under the counter and retrieved the ring in question and brought it into the light. Harry caught his breath, in the light it was absolutely gorgeous the diamonds sparked like white lightning and the emerald seemed to have its own burning flame within.

"This is a very nice ring, pretty but not distracting like some," the sales lady said and pointed out others that were in Harry's mind gaudy, "I trust you need to know her ring size, but without her knowing what you are doing?" Harry nodded. "I will be right back." The sales lady disappeared, with a ring sizing chart and went over to the sales lady that was helping Hermione, after a whispered conversation, Harry's sales lady returned with a triumphant smile.

"You are very lucky Mr. Potter, we have only one ring in her size and this is it." She said nodding to the ring in her hand.

Harry grinned and said, "How much?" Right now though that ring could have cost a fortune and he still would have gotten it for her.

"Thirty galleons, sir." Harry wordlessly handed over the gold. "Would you like it gift wrapped?"

"Yes, please," said Harry, he wasn't the best with wrapping paper. The lady waved her wand and the ring was boxed and the store's Christmas paper was wrapped around it. She handed it back to him and Harry immediately pocketed it just as Hermione came up to him.

"Hey, Harry, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah I have been ready, did you get Ginny's necklace?" he asked as he steered her towards the exit.

"Yes and I got something for Luna too. It is a charm bracelet that has all of these weird charms on it."

Harry laughed, "I am sure she will love it."

As Harry went to shut the door behind them he glanced back at the sales lady that had helped him, she grinned and winked at him and Harry grinned and grabbed Hermione's hand and together they walked back toward the Leaky Cauldron where Hermione's parents were waiting for them.


End file.
